The Nation - News from Nov. 29, 1985

In the last seven years, public support for the death penalty for a variety of serious crimes has increased sharply. Three Americans in four, for example, now favor the death penalty for murder--the largest proportion to do so in the Gallup Poll’s 50-year history--up from 62% in 1978. As recently as 1966, a 47% plurality opposed the death penalty for murder. The current survey also reveals growing public support for the death penalty for persons convicted of rape or hijacking an airplane.