[skyebook]

Don't know about public opinion on life imprisonment for minors, but the death penalty still has support from a majority of polled Americans [1]. I'd say it might be 'old' just because the UN passed this almost 25 years ago but the public policy is [supposed to be] derived from where the people are at. Seems like its still a relevant statement.

[1] http://www.gallup.com/poll/1606/death-penalty.aspx

[Mithaldu]

And hidden in the middle there, 1/3 of americans don't believe the death penalty reduces murder, and 2/3 believe innocents have been murdered in execution of a death penalty, meaning that those agreeing to it just do so out of spiteful vengeance.

[xenophanes]

The death penalty and the death penalty for children are different issues. I'd bet you that if allowing death penalty for children was polled, it'd do a lot worse than regular death penalty, and be a minority view.

Also, note the poll question was terribly written and may dramatically understate US support for the death penalty. The question I mean is the top one, "Are you in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder?"

This is ambiguous. My position is I'm in favor of the death penalty for SOME crimes, in some special cases, but NOT as a default for all murderers. I think the death penalty should be ALLOWED NOT OUTLAWED – I think it should be a possibility sometimes – but if I was asked that poll question I would say "no". I think MOST murderers should not be executed.

So the poll question is really really badly done. The only saving grace is that a lot of people will ignore the question wording and hear "death penalty: pro or con?" and give their general political stance using their pre-existing knowledge of what the actual issue is.