Public Opinion on the Death Penalty in Singapore: Survey Findings

Abstract

Singapore’s position is that the use of the death penalty is primarily a matter of criminal justice to be decided by its people and the government. To what extent is its use truly supported by Singaporeans? Only small scale studies have been done so far in answer to this question. This study reports on a public opinion survey carried out in 2016 on 1,500 Singaporeans aged between 18 to 74 years on their support for the death penalty, the reasons for the support, and the type of scenarios where there is support. It is the first large scale survey to be carried out in Singapore. It is hoped that the findings will not only inform discussions amongst academics, policy makers and the civil society in Singapore on the continued use of the death penalty, but also offer a source for comparisons with data from other countries, and a “baseline” to assess possible shifts in public opinion in Singapore in the future.

Keywords: Singapore, death penalty, sentencing, public opinion