Capital punishment is driven by vengeance. If we are talking about protecting potential future victims, it does absolutely nothing that life in prison doesn't d

Capital punishment is driven by vengeance. If we are talking about protecting potential future victims, it does absolutely nothing that life in prison doesn't do. I sincerely doubt that in the moments before committing a crime that could lead to life imprisonment or the death penalty, many perpetrators say to themselves "well I'm going to go ahead and do it because while I might end up in prison for the rest of my life, I won't have to worry about the death penalty." In many, many places, the death penalty would be the easier way out.