%0 Journal Article
%T Knowledge and death penalty opinion: A panel study
%J Journal of criminal justice
%D 1993
%A Bohm, R. M.
%A Vogel, Ronald E.
%A Maisto, Albert A.
%V 21
%N 1
%P 29-45
%X This study addressed the stability of informed death penalty opinions (and reasons for opinions) by examining them approximately two and three years after subjects completed a month-long college class on the death penalty. Among the results of the study were: (1) 'abstract' death penalty opinions changed significantly through exposure to 'classroom knowledge,' but after two or three years they 'rebounded' to near their initial pretest positions; (2) 'personal involvement' death penalty opinions did not change significantly from pretest to posttest to follow-up; and (3) the level of agreement with seven of the eleven reasons for death penalty opinions changed significantly between pretest and posttest, but on the follow-up they 'rebounded' to the initial pretest level of agreement; the level of agreement with two of the reasons changed significantly between the pretest and the posttest but remained relatively stable between the posttest and the follow-up; and the level of agreement for the other two reasons remained relatively stable over the three points in time. Implications of the findings are discussed.<p />
%G 
%I Elsevier Publishing
%@ 0047-2352
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0047-2352(93)90004-7