Yes, I think so. The state can never really be sure in 100% of cases so we have to take the moral high ground and keep people alive but incarcerated. Since it

Yes, I think so. The state can never really be sure in 100% of cases so we have to take the moral high ground and keep people alive but incarcerated. Since it doesn't deter murder, i.e. murders still take place in places with the death penalty there's no loss of law and order by keeping murders alive and serving life. Finally, it takes years but sometimes a convicted murder reveals detains of an earlier, unsuspected crime. This provides some small closure to the victim's family. All of that is a compromise against retribution but nothing will bring the victim back.