While pain is generally something to be avoided, and sometimes should be lessened when unavoidable, it is not without its benefits. Pain often serves as a valuable warning of trouble. The refusal of some to distinguish between the choice of an individual, or group of individuals, to kill another human being without due process of law, and the choice of a society to kill those who break certain laws, is a failure to discern the fundamental natures of good and evil. The death penalty is a penalty that should be mandatory for all crimes that merit it. Other penalties can allow a judge or jury some discretion or leniency with respect to punishments.
Restitution exists, to some extent, under the United States civil justice system.
It should also find at least a few inroads into the United States criminal justice system. For those readers who are disappointed that this discussion of penalties makes little mention of mercy, see my ramblings on the subject of justice . Last updated August 16, 1997.