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There is clearly a vocal debate on this statement across the entire legal system. However as all prospects of a negative outcome deter some (assuming the criminal is a fit state of mind). It is a truism. Capital punishment being the most severe of all possible criminal sanctions, is clearly the least likely of all criminal sanctions to violate that idea. However some people would argue that in some cases life imprisonment can be worse as the perpetrator has to think for his whole life about what he did. However if this is true it would mean that the death penalty is not actually severe as life imprisonment. In which case we give out life imprisonment which is harsher punishment we should have no qualms about giving out a less severe sanction in the form of the death penalty. The state has a moral duty to protect its citizens and therefore not to utilise the ultimate deterrent in times of need is a failure on their