Findings of Poll on Attitudes towards the Death Penalty
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A Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) poll was conducted from
13 to 17 Jun 2016 with a sample of 1,160 randomly selected Singapore residents
aged 15 and above. Where the sample was not demographically representative of
the national population by gender, race, or age, it was weighted accordingly to
ensure representativeness. The estimated margin of error is 2.9% at a 95%
confidence interval.
Support for retaining the death penalty
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80% felt that the death penalty should be retained, 10% said it should be
abolished and 10% either did not give a definitive answer, or refused to answer.
Do you think the death penalty should be retained or abolished?
80
Retained
Abolished
10 3 7
Others
Refused/Not sure
General support for death penalty
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80% of respondents generally supported the death penalty. 57% outrightly
supported the death penalty, 23% said ‘it depends’ and 13% were opposed to it.
There was greater support for the death penalty among the higher educated.
In general, do you support or oppose the death penalty?
By Education
Pri & below
6
13
54
Secondary
49
ITE
50
30
30
7 9
12 9
23
23
5
57
23
A' Levels
55
Polytechnic
62
Uni/Postgrad
Support
It depends
26
19
68
Oppose
14 5
13 5
14 13 4
Refused/Not sure
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140 Hill Street 6th Storey, Old Hill Street Police Station, Singapore 179369
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Death penalty as deterrent for serious crimes
4
82% agreed that it was an important deterrent that helped keep Singapore
safe from serious crimes.
The death penalty is an important deterrent that helps
to keep Singapore safe from serious crimes
29
Strongly agree
Agree
10 4 12
53
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Not sure
Support for death penalty as maximum sentence for specific crimes
5
Respondents who generally supported the death penalty were asked
whether they supported or opposed the death penalty as the maximum sentence
for a given list of crimes. There was higher support for the death penalty as the
maximum sentence for violent crimes such as murder (81%), using a firearm to
commit a serious offence (78%), and arms trafficking (74%), compared to drug
trafficking (67%).
Do you support or oppose the death penalty as the maximum sentence for people
convicted of the following crimes?
(% within those who said ‘Support’ or ‘It depends’ when asked about their stand towards
death penalty in general)(n = 933)
Murder
81
Using a firearm to commit a serious
offence
78
Arms/Weapons trafficking
11
74
Drug trafficking
Support
16
67
It depends
Oppose
11
16
31
9 2
14 2
16
1
Refused/Not sure
reaching everyone for active citizenry @ home
140 Hill Street 6th Storey, Old Hill Street Police Station, Singapore 179369
E-mail: [email protected]
Toll-free: 1 800 353 5555
Website: www.reach.gov.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/REACHSingapore
Twitter: www.twitter.com/REACH_Singapore
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Confidence in the judicial system and process
6
Close to two-thirds believed that there were adequate safeguards in
Singapore to ensure that no person was wrongly sentenced to death. Around 1 in
5 were neutral, while 6% disagreed.
I believe there are adequate safeguards in Singapore to
ensure that no person is wrongly sentenced to death
16
Strongly agree
Agree
48
Neutral
22
Disagree
51 9
Strongly disagree
Not sure
Issued by
REACH
6 October 2016
reaching everyone for active citizenry @ home
140 Hill Street 6th Storey, Old Hill Street Police Station, Singapore 179369
E-mail: [email protected]
Toll-free: 1 800 353 5555
Website: www.reach.gov.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/REACHSingapore
Twitter: www.twitter.com/REACH_Singapore
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