Serious hypothetical question: do you think it would be in any way possible to rehabilitate him?
For the record, I think (with a high degree of confidence) the answer is no, but your comment got me thinking about the whole punishment versus rehabilitation argument regarding the purpose of prisons. Your comment (and I’m not judging, it’s a totally understandable desire) is very much on the punishment/retribution side, but it’s arguably better to try to help people change into someone societally positive. Again (sorry for being a broken record), I agree with you in this case, there’s far too much harm done and not enough time in the world, much less a human lifespan, to atone for what he’s done.
Anyway, to end off my ramble: What kinds of crimes can be atoned for, and what kinds of criminals can be rehabilitated? At what point does incarceration versus death penalty become a serious question about the kinder/more-ethical option?
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