Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Fitzgerald, Keith

Area of Concentration

Political Science

Abstract

The thesis studies on the modern usage of the death penalty in the United States and how it relates to public opinion. In doing so, it analyzes the various institutions that have handled death penalty cases in the U.S., and how their applications may be related. It is found that the judicial branch (alongside state governments) carries the most jurisdiction of the death penalty, and, regardless of this fact, death penalty legislation has been largely influenced by public opinion (determined by public opinion polls and the action of states). Overall, it was found that the Supreme Court may have a larger role than was anticipated in the regulation of federal action – and that it was ultimately determined by the will of the people (and therefore democratic). With these findings at the forefront, a conclusion is built around how death penalty legislation would have to be dealt with in the future – in that the public would have to have a distinguishable opinion on it, the climate surrounding execution would have to change, and that citizens would have to act for reformation if it is to happen at all.

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