Answer:
c. dependent variable
Step-by-step explanation:
In research, the independent variable is the variable that can be manipulated by the researchers and which will have an effect on another variable that is called the dependent variable. (Therefore, the variable in which the affect is perceived is called the dependent variable). The researchers don't really have control over the dependent variable but it is the one that it's being tested and see how it responds to the independent variable.
In this example, the race of a criminal offender seems to determine the frequency with which capital punishment is administered. We can see that apparently, the race of the criminal offender affects the punishment and how frequent it is received. Therefore, since the race is affecting the frequency of the capital punishment, we can say that the punishment can be considered the dependent variable.