Chinese public opinions on death penalty: measurement, analysis and communication

Genlin Liang, Eryan Chen
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

ABSTRACT The preservation or the abolition of death penalty is an issue of public policy choice justified by public recognition. Policy decisions and system designs of death penalty should take public opinions seriously. Using data from more than 30,000 samples, this research finds that the concept of retribution and deterrence constitutes the most important conceptual foundation for death penalty, upon which the majority of Chinese people are in favor of preservation of death penalty. However, the mainstream view towards death penalty has significantly changed, which suggests that the majority of Chinese people are not absolute retentionists, but either unconditional or conditional abolitionists. When appropriate alternative measures to death penalty are posed, nearly 80% retentionists will turn into abolitionists. Public opinions of death penalty are influenced by a variety of factors including self-actualization, dependence of mass media, social unfair experiences, sense of security, legal awareness as well as evaluation of social problems. The discourse pattern is the most suitable pattern for China to lead public opinions towards a rational direction. According to this pattern, it is advisable to promote all-round development of human beings as well as civilization and harmony of the society, value the crucial role of political elites, establish appropriate alternative measures to death penalty and communicate with the public through mass media, so as to lay solid socio-psychological foundation for the gradual reform of death penalty in China.
中国死刑舆论:测量、分析与传播
死刑的存废是一个公众认可的公共政策选择问题。死刑的政策决策和制度设计应重视民意。通过对3万多个样本的数据分析,本研究发现惩罚和威慑的概念构成了死刑最重要的概念基础,在此基础上,大多数中国人赞成保留死刑。然而,对死刑的主流看法已经发生了明显的变化,这表明大多数中国人不是绝对保留死刑,而是无条件或有条件废除死刑。当有适当的替代死刑的措施时,近80%的保留主义者将转变为废除主义者。死刑舆论受自我实现、大众媒介依赖、社会不公平经历、安全感、法律意识以及对社会问题的评价等多种因素的影响。话语模式是最适合中国舆论走向理性的话语模式。根据这一模式,应促进人的全面发展和社会的文明和谐,重视政治精英的关键作用,建立适当的死刑替代措施,并通过大众传媒与公众进行沟通,为中国逐步改革死刑奠定坚实的社会心理基础。
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