[Margaret Pilkington]

It is sad that the families of the prisoner are punished......but shouldn't the prisoner have thought about them when he/she was perpetrating the act?

At least the family will get to see their relative on visiting day....the murdered persons family have been robbed of their relative and will never see them again.......I think you have to keep that perspective in mind.

Prison might feel bad to those who are only visiting, but the fact that many criminals re-offend means that it can't be that bad, or the thought of going back in would be a deterrent. It clearly isn't.