The polls are always shifting on it here in the states. It also makes a difference as to how the question is phrased:

When Gallup first began asking about the death penalty in 1936, the question at that time did not specify life imprisonment as an alternative, and the same question asked today finds a substantial majority of the public supporting the death penalty. The current poll shows 71% in favor, up from 64% last October, but about the same as it was in most of 2002-2003.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=1029&scid=


>>>>>> Not sure if it would act as a deterrant but I'd like to think it would at least engender genuine remorse on the part of my murderer <s>
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>>>>>I'm pretty sure the research shows that the death penalty doesn't act as a deterrent. (Okay, folks, you don't need to chime in with the usual response that it deters the one killed. We know that, but the claim is that the threat that will be executed will stop people from committing murder and the research says that's not true.)
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>>>>>Tamar
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>Sorry, but I have to say the death penalty is not the only solution. I think we would be better served, if we were to exile them. Put them in Antarctica, send them to Chad, some island, Mississippi, or some other third world country!