[derekgas]

I have said before, the punishment should fit the crime, in my opinion, if you take a life, make a serious attempt on a life, or carry a gun etc, which could serve no other purpose than to end or seriously change a persons life, then you should expect to be put to death, or imprisoned for life (until you die). If this does not deter murder, knife/gun crime etc, then nothing else will, so you may as well inflict the harshest punishment possible and hope.