SIR – In his review of my book, 21 Speeches That Shaped Our World (T&A, July 19), Jim Greenhalf asserts that my stance against capital punishment is based on a clever but morally-dubious argument that the death penalty does not bring about justice and rehabilitation, but simply creates more victims.
In contrast, he claims that capital punishment can stop those outraged by a crime from taking the law into their own hands by removing the desire for blood vengeance or honour killing.
While this may be true, life imprisonment would serve a similar purpose by removing offenders from society, but without the taking of another life.
Surely a far better option for a fair and effective criminal justice system!
Chris Abbott, Marazion, Cornwall
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