>> Not sure if it would act as a deterrant but I'd like to think it would at least engender genuine remorse on the part of my murderer <s>
>
>I'm pretty sure the research shows that the death penalty doesn't act as a deterrent. (Okay, folks, you don't need to chime in with the usual response that it deters the one killed. We know that, but the claim is that the threat that will be executed will stop people from committing murder and the research says that's not true.)
>
>Tamar

The only real deterrent afaik, is not the punishment, but the potential for punishment. In other words, if the perpetrator thinks he won't get caught, then there is little deterrent regardless what the punishment is for the crime. On the other hand, the more likely the person thinks being caught is, then the greater the deterrent [almost] regardless of the punishment involved. There is a sort of cost/benefit analysis that criminals go through too - ie worth to the criminal of the crime vs likelihood of being caught and then the 'cost' of being caught.

The only time execution is used is for murder or treason afaik, and almost without question, those criminals expect not to be caught - therefore, the punishment is not an issue.