61 percent of Czechs want the death penalty to be reintroduced...

61 percent of Czechs want the death penalty to be reintroduced while 26 percent disagree with it, according to a poll conducted by the IVVM polling agency. The death penalty enjoyed the highest support of Czechs, 75 percent of those surveyed, between 1992 and 1994. The number of death penalty supporters remained stable at 67 percent from 1995 until 1999. The death penalty is supported mostly by inhabitants of smaller villages, people aged between 30 and 44, and Communist (KSCM) supporters. Christian Democrat (KDU-CSL) supporters disagree with the death penalty the most. Almost a half of those who believe in God support the death penalty. A majority of death penalty supporters, 57 percent, believe that it is necessary in order to punish brutal crimes more severely. One fifth of those surveyed believe that existing sentences are not very effective, one tenth mind high financial costs to hold murders in custody and 8 percent of Czechs believe that the death penalty would decrease the crime rate. Some 48 percent of death penalty opponents believe that there is a danger of miscarriage of justice and 36 percent believe that a person does not have the right to end a human life. Some 13 percent of those surveyed are convinced that the death penalty does not influence the crime rate.