Abstract:
ABSTRACT
CORRELATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. SUPREME COURT AND
PUBLIC OPINION ON THE ISSUES OF ABORTION AND THE
DEATH PENALTY
by
Slande Erole
Master of Arts in Political Science
California State University, Chico
Fall 2010
In this study, I examine correlations between the United States Supreme
Court and public opinion. Throughout this thesis, I collect and analyze public opinion
data regarding U.S. Supreme Court cases regarding the death penalty and abortion,
which I then enter into frequency distribution tables and graphs in order to determine
the relationship between public opinion and the Supreme Court’s decisions. Many different
scholars note that the Supreme Court must pay special attention to public opinion
if it wants to maintain its legitimacy and also because the Court cannot fully control the
policy outcomes of its decisions. Other scholars have also explained that the Supreme
Court is indirectly influenced by public opinion through the selection and nomination
process. Though the American public may not be able to directly control the actions of
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the Supreme Court, it can influence the actions of members of Congress, who in turn
can exert pressure on the Court. Ultimately, the research I conduct in this thesis shows a
correlation between Supreme Court decisions and public opinion. In almost every case,
public opinion regarding the particular questions asked in the cases match with the resulting
decision handed down by the Court. Though the Court may protect minority
rights in some cases, it is still a majoritarian branch of government in that it does pay
attention to public opinion, something which it must do in order to secure its legitimacy
and set enduring policies.
