Does it matter that the death penalty is 'revenge' justice?

[TNF]

I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with vengeance, if you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person in question is guilty of what he or she is accused of and if ridding the world of a monster will bring some peace of mind to the victim or victims of that person.

[Pheurton Skeurto]

Option 1. It's cliche, but justifying murder with execution seems a little hypocritical to me. I'm uncomfortable with the idea of state-sanctioned killing.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Yes (civilized person).

[bedstuy]

Revenge is a very aggressive word.  What about retribution? 

Because, call it whatever you want, that's why we punish people.  We can't tolerate people doing horrible things without a punishment that fits the heinousness of the crime.  When it comes to mass murderers who are 99.9999% likely to be guilty, I don't see any reason they ought to be alive.

[Rockefeller GOP]

I'm fine with the death penalty in certain instances; some people have so disrespected life that they no longer deserve it for themselves.

[Oakvale]

Not any more than sending someone to prison is. I'm against the death penalty but that's on pragmatic grounds.

As I touched upon in the 'brain implant' thread, this line of thinking misses the fundamental point that there's more to the criminal/penal system than simply 'rehabilitation' and/or the deterrent effect. People being punished for crimes is justice as much as it is 'revenge'. Bedstuy is basically correct.