Is The Death Penality Really A Deterrent?

I have always been on the fence when it came to the death penalty. I was never 100% comfortable with the idea of ending someone's life, no matter how wretched it was. Still, I have never been put in a situation where a loved one was murdered, so I have no idea how I would feel about whether or not the killer should be executed unless I've been there, which God-willing I'll never have to be.

My feeling on the death penalty has always been that I'd remain quiet about it until I see proof that it actually deters crime, which is the central argument to keeping it legal. If it does cause people to rethink committing violent crimes, then it's worth having on the books, even if it's rarely used.

This may very well be the proof I've been looking for.

So much for the growing strength of the anti-capital punishment group.