The death penalty is the most common sentence used against murderers. Some countries use life imprisonment instead. Countries which use execution believe it is the most effective way to minimise the number of killings. The second group of countries considers capital punishment inhumane and makes society as guilty as the murderer.
Life in prison is relatively new compared to execution. Some governments have recently adopted it under pressure from human rights activists and several parties. They argue that capital punishment is an appalling crime against humanity and that it should be abolished completely from the entire world. Furthermore, they say that the number of murder crimes in the countries which implement the death penalty is still higher than that of life in prison countries. I think they ignore some aspects of the subject.
They ignore religious law altogether. Countries which adopt capital punishment mostly do so because it is the punishment stated in their Holy Books. As a result, they must abide by it. In other words, they have no option. If God said the killer must be killed, then we must do so.
In conclusion, I think every society has its foundations and backgrounds that determine its laws and regulations. In some cases, it is a religious background, and in others, it is a secular background. All that matters is to build a society that decreases the number of all crimes. That can be achieved through social equality, freedom of expression and justice. In addition, Governments should provide the best possible living conditions to all citizens.