I've read that anti-death penalty Catholics rely on the idea that modern penology offers an alternative to the death penalty by ensuring that the murderer is no longer a risk to others. This maximizes the possibility of subsequent spiritual growth and repentence.
I sometimes wonder whether anybody keeps track of deaths perpetrated by people who could have had the death penalty but were given life in prison instead. It's struck me as one of those wishful statements that anti-death penalty believers have faith is true but don't actually measure to see whether it is true.
Posted by TMLutas at January 21, 2004 02:28 AM