Its not the only argument. There is obviously a strong financial argument too. Keeping people in a jail for a lifetime is incredibly expensive with no prospect of financial return. One could easily argue that the money would be better spent giving increased support to the victims of violent crime, better pre-emptive mental health care for people potentially able to carry out this kind of crime etc. The case of Ian Brady is interesting, he knows he will never get out, he desperately wants to be allowed to die, yet he is denied this option at phenomenal expense to the tax payer!

Tony.

PS I'm in devils advocate mode, I don't personally believe on the death penaltyââ'¬Â¦