The primary purpose of this study was to examine public support for the death penalty in Brazil and to determine factors that influence such support. Currently, Brazil has the death penalty for cases involving war crimes, genocides, terrorism, and crime against humanity. The country’s constitution, however, prohibits the use of the death penalty in ordinary crimes. Analyzing individual-level cross-sectional data collected by the American Barometer Survey, we found that a significant majority of Brazilians support the death penalty, with more than two thirds expressing greater support. In terms of factors, it was revealed that frequency of murders, sense of insecurity, and perceived institutional legitimacy largely influence support for the death penalty. In addition, ethnicity, religiosity, and religious affiliation affect citizens’ attitudes toward the death penalty. The findings of this study have serious implications for research and practice.

本研究的主要目的是检查巴西公众对死刑的支持，并确定影响这种支持的因素。目前，巴西对涉及战争罪、种族灭绝、恐怖主义和危害人类罪的案件实行死刑。然而，该国宪法禁止在普通罪行中使用死刑。通过分析美国晴雨表调查收集的个人层面横断面数据，我们发现绝大多数巴西人支持死刑，超过三分之二的人表示支持。在因素方面，谋杀的频率、不安全感和感知的制度合法性在很大程度上影响了对死刑的支持。此外，种族、宗教、宗教信仰影响公民对死刑的态度。这项研究的结果对研究和实践具有重要意义。