Justly the loss of freedom is the punishment and we should not try to subject the offender to abusive treatment but this is ridiculous hyperbole. An example of

Justly the loss of freedom is the punishment and we should not try to subject the offender to abusive treatment but this is ridiculous hyperbole. An example of someone who deserves life imprisonment is Gary Ridgeway aka the Green River Killer who was convicted of murdering 49 but probably killed 90+ innocent girls. Rotting in a small cell is better than he deserves and keeping him there is the only way society and indeed he can be safe. He is segregated even in prison not because of extreme risk he presents although he would certainly be a high risk if ever released, but rather because the risk that someone perhaps a relation of one of the many people he murdered would in turn murder him. Keeping society safe by giving Gary a crummy but safe life doesn't make us as guilty as someone who lured and strangled innocent girls.