In a recent survey that asked “Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder"” 75 percent of Americans responded in favor of capital punishment, according to researcher R.M. Bohm. However, a U.S. Justice Department study reveals that when people are given information about several specific crimes that are punishable by execution, a majority will choose long prison terms over the death penalty.

This news has raised the hopes of opponents of capital punishment, who often argue that murderers should receive life sentences rather than death sentences. As punishment for the crime of first-degree murder, many states permit life sentences that strictly limit the possibility of parole; at least eighteen states allow life sentences with no possibility of parole. Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, contends that the number of death...