Final answer:
Americans' beliefs about capital punishment are divided, with public opinion shifting over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The beliefs about capital punishment in America are divided, with divided opinions being the best description. The public opinion on the death penalty has shifted over time, influenced by factors such as crime rates and reexamination of past cases. There has been an overall decline in support for the death penalty, leading some states to abolish it and others to not carry out executions despite sentencing people to death.