A survey-based study of attitudes toward capital punishment and the implications for sentencing reform.
Commissioned by the Lagos State Government, this empirical study examined residents’ perceptions of capital punishment — how the public understands it, the conditions under which they support or oppose it, and what those attitudes imply for the criminal punishment regime.
Rather than argue a position, the research set out to provide policymakers with reliable evidence. Using a structured, survey-based approach, it captured a broad cross-section of public opinion and situated those views against the realities of the justice system, from sentencing practice to the administration of the death penalty.
The findings offer a grounded basis for debate on proportionality and sentencing reform, giving legislators, the judiciary and civil society a clearer picture of where public opinion actually sits — and where it is more nuanced than the headlines suggest.
The complete study, including its methodology and detailed results, is available on the Institute’s website.
Originally published on justiceresearchinstitute.org.
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