[carlr]

While the American rate is down from recent years, it is still among the highest in the world, showing that the death penalty is no deterrent, say critics.

Deterrence is an unprovable side effect.To know how many have been deterred one must poll all non capital offenders and have them admit they would have committed a capital crime if not for the possibility of execution.
The way those opposed to capital punishment want to use the numbers would mean that since prison time of any kind did not deter those inside from committing a crime,prison should be abolished(probably what they believe anyways).

A strawman arguement.

[DesignerChick]

Does it never occur to the opponents of capital punishment that the people facing the death penalty didn't seem to mind carrying out executions on (multiple) innocents prior to their arrest and incarceration - which is how they end up on 'death row' to begin with?
Why is it okay for the inmates to have decided that the death penalty was the way to go for the citizenry EXCEPT... its not really good for them.....

Why should they- the convicted- get to live long lives when they couldn't extend the same courtesy to their victims?