Teresa Lewis

[FRPLG]

I think the history of the world is scattered with loads of evidence that humans in general do anything and everything up to and including what they are ALLOWED to do. I find the notion that society in general is not deterred by lawful punishment to be silly. Of course it does. Humans are animals. We all fight for self survival..self interest. Every single thing we do is in our own self-interest. Without clear lines defined by laws and enforced through deterrents people in general would abuse the rights of others. Maybe A person could act with others in mind but give me a hundred people and most of them would go crazy.

Note: this is not a pontification on the deterrence offered by the death penalty...I generally agree it doesn't deter anything at all. The rate of deterrence is probably very variable and defined by the nature of the potential crime and the nature of the potential punishment. I bet we'd have a lot less people speeding if we killed them for it.