MHA poll shows more people in Singapore agree with implementing death penalty for the most serious crimes

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Home Affairs has published a 2023 survey showing an increase in public support for using the death penalty for the most serious crimes, including murder and trafficking in a significant amount of drugs.

While a 2021 survey showed already strong support for the death penalty in such cases, the 2023 survey shows even greater support for the capital sentence among Singapore residents.

The 2023 survey found that more than three-quarters of the respondents (77.4 per cent) either strongly agreed or agreed that the death penalty should be imposed for the most serious crimes.

In comparison, 73.7 per cent gave the same response in 2021. The MHA noted the difference was statistically significant.

There has also been an increase in the proportion of respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with the use of the mandatory death penalty as punishment for trafficking in a significant amount of drugs, discharging or attempting to discharge a firearm with intent to cause physical injury (firearm offences), and intentional murder.

Below is the proportion of respondents who strongly agreed or agreed that the mandatory death penalty was appropriate as the punishment for the following serious crimes.

• Trafficking a significant amount of drugs: 65.6 per cent in 2021, 68.7 per cent in 2023
• Firearm offences: 71.1 per cent in 2021, 74.3 per cent in 2023
• Intentional murder: 80.5 per cent in 2021, 85 per cent in 2023

Moreover, there was also a higher proportion of respondents who agreed that using the death penalty is effective as a deterrent to serious crime.

• Trafficking a significant amount of drugs: 83.2 per cent in 2021, 87.9 per cent in 2023
• Firearm offences: 85.9 per cent in 2021, 90.2 per cent in 2023
• Murder offences: 85.9 per cent in 2021, 90.2 per cent in 2023

“The differences were statistically significant,” observed MHA.

The ministry added three more questions to better understand how respondents felt about the mandatory death penalty:

(a) whether the mandatory death penalty was a strong deterrent against the most serious crimes in Singapore;

(b) whether the replacement of the mandatory death penalty with the discretionary death penalty would result in an increase in serious crimes in Singapore; and

(c) whether they would prefer to retain the mandatory death penalty in Singapore.

Again, most of the respondents answered “yes”.

Significantly,  when asked if they had confidence that Singapore’s criminal justice system would handle death penalty cases appropriately:

 88.7 per cent of the respondents said they are confident that accused persons in death penalty cases are subject to fair and rigorous investigations; and.

87.9 per cent said they have confidence that the people in death penalty cases in Singapore undergo a fair and rigorous trial;

Also, 84 per cent said they believe that there are adequate safeguards to ensure that there are no wrongful executions. /TISG

Read also: Families of executed prisoners call for moratorium and review of death penalty