A "law", as defined in the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a rule established by authority, society or custom." When a person violates a law it is expected that they will be punished and referred to professional help to understand that their actions were wrong. If a person violates a set of laws simultaneously, what should the government do about it? Gary Leon Ridgway, also known as the Green River Killer, should be executed instead of serving life sentences without parole.

Yet the reason for capital punishment is frequently said to be revenge when it really is retribution and moral. Revenge is used to get even with someone that has injured him or her, even if it was illegal. "As opposed to revenge, retribution is legally threatened with an imposed social institution prior for an act prohibited by law" (Van den Haag 59). "Capital punishment is an expression of society's...