It is my personal belief, that the death penalty is really unjustifiable, it is an example of a horrific degeneration of what should be a triumph over human basic instincts, such as the desire to cause pain to those who have caused pain to you, the law. The purpose of the law with respect to violent crime, is somewhat understood through as a combination of justice, containment, and in cases where applicable, constructive rehabilitation; it is not to harm those who have done wrong; nor to harm the innocents who still care about those people. Even in an extreme case, such as first degree murder, the parents and loved ones of the criminal have done nothing to deserve losing their child or friend, and in my eyes, the reacting to one instance of pain by causing even more pain is not what our legal system should be; it isn't an instrument of our desire for revenge, but a superior replacement for that desire.
