Recently, on another's blog, I commented that while I was against the death penalty for various reasons, I felt that life without parole was the cruelest penalty, far surpassing the death penalty.

I am not alone in that view as a murderer here in the Old Dominion thought the same way and committed suicide.

At some point in our life, we all fear death.  That is usually between the teens and middle age.  At some age, the fear of death leaves us as we see the inevitable end, and perhaps have seen some of our loved ones suffer a long and slow death.

This does not occur to everyone, and perhaps it can be argued that since felons are usually not as smart as the average person (at least the ones that get caught), they never do realize it.  But I think almost all do.

And when they stop fearing death, then the prison cell becomes a very small place indeed.  and the lack of Freedom even harder to accept and come to grips with.  So in the end, while they may not yearn for death, it becomes a more palatable  alternative.  And in the end, with no hope in sight of freedom, it becomes torture.

This in no way is advocating that life without parole be abolished.  Or that the Death penalty being used to the exclusion of life.  For the latter is still wrong as ThatoneguyinSLC pointed out.

But perhaps, having made so many bad decisions in life to get into a position that offers no hope, they can have one last chance at making a decision.  To decide to live without hope of freedom, or to leave the life now.

It is something to think about.