rs who otherwise might not have been deterred. And surely the death penalty is the only penalty that could deter prisoners already serving a life sentence and tempted to kill a guard, or offenders about to be arrested and facing a life sentence. Perhaps they will not be deterred. But they would certainly not be deterred by anything else. We owe all the protection we can give to law enforcers exposed to special risks."(Carlisle, 199)Although capital punishment cannot deter all murderers, the fear of death must deter some. One cannot measure how many lives this system spares since no concrete numbers can be formed. One must come to the conclusion that the death penalty deters those who conjure thoughts of vicious crimes for they fear the potential death penalty. When someone takes a life, the balance of justice is disturbed. Unless that balance is restored, society surrenders to an unruly state. Only the taking of the murderer's life restores the balance and allows society to show convincingly that murder is an intolerable crime, which will be punished in kind. Retribution has its basis in religious values, which have historically maintained that it is fair to take an "eye for an eye." Therefore, a life for a life. Although the victim and the victim's family cannot be restored to the status, which preceded the murder, at least an execution brings closure to the ordeal for the victim's family and ensures that the murderer will take no more victims.For the most cruel and heinous crimes, the ones for which the death penalty is applicable, offenders deserve the strictest punishment under the judicial system. The strongest punishment for unthinkable crimes is the death penalty. Any lesser punishment would undermine the values society places on protecting lives.Robert Macy, District Attorney of Oklahoma City, described his concept of the need for retribution in one case: "In 1991, a young mother was rendered helpless and made to watch as her ba...
