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I used to be a strong proponent of the death penalty, but not so much anymore. Yes, I still believe there is a place for it, however only in certain limited circumstances. Almost every human life has some value. Only an infinitesimal number of lives, in my opinion, ever get to the point where they are no longer salvageable.
Below I have I listed some conditions, all of which I believe should be met before I would go along with the idea of imposing the death penalty on someone.
First, one must be a coldblooded murderer. That is, one who has intentionally, and in a premeditated manner, taken the life of at least one human being. No lesser crime should even merit one the consideration of the death penalty.
Second, the murderous act was not an isolated incident in the life of the perpetrator. Instead, it was in keeping with a pattern of life for that individual – a life of violence and criminal activity.
Third, the murderer shows no remorse for his or her crime and seemingly has no conscience at all.
Fourth, the killer is apparently so bloodthirsty that he or she would be almost certain to kill again if given the slightest opportunity. That kind of person would be a constant threat to prison personnel as well as other inmates, and would be especially dangerous to the public if he or she were ever to escape.
Fifth and finally, it would be unlikely that this person could ever be rehabilitated. Sadly, he or she is just too deeply immersed in a lifestyle of violence to be useful, even in a prison setting.
If someone meets all of the above qualifications, I would agree that he or she is a justifiable candidate for the death penalty. For anyone else, I don't see how it could be warranted.
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