The results of the logistic regression models to determine the factors that predict preference for
the death penalty over prison terms are shown in Tables 5-11. Model 1 examined the influence
of demographic factors, model 2 examined the influence of TV news access and internet use,
In Defense
of the the
Right
to Life: Analyzing
Factors Affecting
Filipino factors,
Opinion model
About Death
Penalty the
model
3 examined
influence
of the influence
of instrumental
4 examines
influence of symbolic factors, and model 5 examined the influence of attitudes to alternatives to
the death penalty.
Figure 2
Preferred punishment for people found to have committed specific crimes
20 years
Working in drug dens
9
Sale of illegal drugs
8
Maintainance of drug dens
7
Murder under the influence of drugs
Manufacture of illegal drugs
6
9
0%
24
53
8
9
22
55
13
6
Death penalty
54
13
10
3
Life imprisonment
15
Importation of illegal drugs
Rape under the influence of drugs
40 years
25
51
30
53
31
51
6
33
44
20%
47
40%
60%
80%
100%
Notes
Data from the March 22 - 26, 2018 National Survey on Public Perception about the Death Penalty. Figures
excludes don't know and refused responses
Overall,
strongest
predictors
of preference
for the
penalty
over prison
terms terms
for murder
Overall,thethe
strongest
predictors
of preference
for death
the death
penalty
over prison
for
and
rape
under
the
influence
of
illegal
drugs
were:
level
of
education,
religiosity,
Internet
use,
murder and rape under the influence of illegal drugs were: level of education, religiosity,
feeling
of
safety
with
the
death
penalty,
following
the
law
over
religious
principles,
opinion
that
the
Internet use, feeling of safety with the death penalty, following the law over religious principles,
death
penalty
serves
justice,
and
preference
for
the
death
penalty
over
other
forms
of
punishment.
opinion that the death penalty serves justice, and preference for the death penalty over other
For the crimes of sale, manufacture, and importation of illegal drugs, and working in and
forms of punishment. For the crimes of sale, manufacture, and importation of illegal drugs, and
maintenance of drug dens, the strongest predictors were age, feeling of safety with the death
working in and maintenance of drug dens, the strongest predictors were age, feeling of safety
with the death penalty, worry of wrongful death penalty sentencing, opinion that the death
penalty serves justice, and preference for the death penalty over other forms of punishment.
In terms of the demographic factors, preference for the death penalty over prison terms varied
by the type of drug-related crime. For instance, urbanicity remained a significant predictor for
preference for the death penalty for the crimes of murder and rape but only in model 1 with
socio- demographic controls; its effect disappeared in other models. Results for location vary
by type of crime. Sex emerged as a significant predictor but only for the crimes manufacture
and importation of drugs – men were more likely than women to prefer death penalty for
these crimes. Age was a significant predictor for all drug-related crimes – the likelihood of
preference for the death penalty was higher among older respondents. Level of education was
only significant for the crimes of rape, murder, manufacture and importation of illegal drugs –
support was lower for those with lower education. Religion still did not influence support for
the death penalty. However, religiosity was found to be a significant predictor for the crimes of
rape and murder– support for the death penalty is lower among those who are non-religious
than those who are religious.
TV news media usage was a significant predictor of preference for the death penalty for some
of the crimes and in some models. It was a consistent predictor for preference for the death
penalty for the crimes of sale and importation of illegal drugs, for all models; for murder, it was
a predictor in model 4, and for rape, only in models 3 and 4. Likelihood of preference for the
death penalty for these crimes was higher among those who watch news on TV. Internet use
16