> You seem to be asserting that there is little practical difference between a life sentence and a death sentence in terms of opportunities to right an unjust c

> You seem to be asserting that there is little practical difference between a life sentence and a death sentence in terms of opportunities to right an unjust conviction. Can you support that with evidence? Actually, I asserted that there is a difference, namely that if you're sentenced to death, lots of money will be spent after conviction on your case, both govt money and pro-bono. (The former is statutory.) If you're get a sentence of life without parole, there's no govt money and typically no private money either. Do you really want to argue that point? Folks on death row are not subject to violence from other inmates, so their only real risk is execution. As to why prisons are violent, it doesn't actually matter. You're willing to use them, knowing that they're deadly.