While I don't disagree with your thoughts from an historical perspective, the death penalty was and should be as much of a deterrent as a "punishment". It's why many executions used to be "public" (in some countries they still are).
Today, in the US, the cost of litigation and the many appeals over 20 years to have a convict executed likely negates the cost to keep them in prison for life. So execution as a means to save the state money and space is not as valid as when the execution was carried out after the verdict. Prison over crowding could be solved by executing lifers to make space. But the states would rather pick lessor offenders to set free or just not prosecute some crimes at all.
Our justice system is deficient in a great many ways these days. A more liberal use of the death penalty could help things, but we don't have the stomach to use it correctly (as a deterrent, cost savings and space savings)
“the death penalty was and should be as much of a deterrent as a “punishment””
Correct. I didn’t think of that when making the post, but it’s a major reason behind all punishments.
Good point about executions also.
I remember Trump being asked how they kept the peace somewhere where he and his father went regularly. He said that the police were tough.