The number of people in Taiwan opposed to abolishing the death penalty has reached a 10-year high, survey results released by National Chung Cheng University today showed.
Of the survey’s respondents, 84.67 percent said they oppose abolishing the death penalty, while 66.91 percent said they are “completely opposed” to the idea.
The survey found that 17.76 percent of Taiwanese “basically oppose the idea, but would be willing to consider it if supporting measures were in place.”
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The university’s Crime Research Center and Department of Criminology last month conducted a survey to study public satisfaction with the judiciary and crime prevention throughout last year.
The landline telephone survey was conducted on Jan. 13 and Jan. 14, with 1,802 valid responses collected from adults across Taiwan. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.31 percentage points and a confidence level of 95 percent.
Debate over the death penalty is deeply influenced by shifts in social values and norms, as it involves complex issues such as the legitimacy of punishment and the protection of fundamental human rights, making it a highly contentious public issue, the report said.
Global human rights trends favor abolishing the death penalty, based on the principle that the right to life is inalienable and that the risk of irreversible judicial errors is too high, the report said.
Empirical evidence remains inconclusive on whether the death penalty is a more effective deterrent than life imprisonment, it said.
The availability of alternatives, such as life imprisonment without parole, could also weaken some support for capital punishment, it added.
However, the majority of people in Taiwan still favor retaining the death penalty, viewing it as a deterrent and a reflection of retributive justice, the report said.
Backing for harsher penalties tends to increase following major violent crimes, when concerns over deteriorating public safety fuel support for severe punishment, it said.
The government should balance shifting social attitudes with international trends, and engage with diverse perspectives to gradually reach a consensus rooted in rational and informed discussion, the report said.
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