PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF DEATH SENTENCE AS DETERRENCE TO CRIME IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The death penalty is a well-known, contentious, and universal concept. Of all the issues that criminal punishment raises, none has been the subject of greater controversy than the death penalty. This study was designed to determine the level of public perception of the death penalty as a crime control measure in Imo State. Relevant research questions and hypotheses were developed to guide the study using a sampling population of 624 respondents who were 18 years of age and older. The study instruments included an in-depth interview with 24 respondents and a set of questionnaires that asked about their characteristics and the substantive issues of the research. Simple percentages were utilized to evaluate the data from the questionnaire, and the Chi-Square was employed to assess the study hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The study brought attention to the public's concerns regarding the usage of the death sentence in Imo State and offered helpful suggestions for the state's criminal justice system.