I guess we can agree to disagree
The reason why we have the death penalty is to discourage capitol crimes. The punishment should fit the crime. If someone raped and killed one of my nieces ..I damn well would want the death penalty to be considered. Poeple with those kind of natures do not fear prison...thats a picnic for them. They fear only..the unknown. I say caste them there when the crime is deserving. Great care should be given to the justice process however to avoid wrongful prosecution...I know my european friends will TOTALY disagree however.
They consider such punishment to be "barbaric". In the present political dilema we are in here in America(I.E terror) most of us want the murderers executed.....its hard to reason objectivily with us about it ;)