My pennyworth.
I visualise what it was like before courts and jurys. Someone who had done a miss deed would at best get drummed out of town or at worst killed. We now have a fairly good justice system by comparison BUT are the penalties right ?.
Should penalties be harsher ?.
Prison costs a lot of money and is at risk of being a training ground for criminals to improve their criminality rather than improve their education or outlook on fellow citizens. I don't think prison is a deterrent for the worst of criminals it is more likely a deterrent for minor criminals. But perhaps they should be kept away from the toxic learning atmosphere that is prison. There are a number of offenders who commit crime to get back inside - they have become institutionalizsd and cannot cope in the outside world. I come to the conclusion that prison is a place to put people we do not want in society and so really for long sentences.
Community service costs less and gets offenders to do something useful and give back to society. Trouble is there are a limited number of things that they can do and I think more effort should be made to find things that need doing that are suitable. One positive is that offenders are forced into a regime of getting up in the morning and so tend towards a better sleep pattern.
Criminal record, usually underestimated in its effect. An otherwise law abiding person who gains a criminal record will lose their lifestyle. Perhaps need to resort to crime instead but at least will not be contributing to the economy. It does at least keep them away from opportunity in many cases.
We need to look at the causes of crime. Some are downright lazy, some are cunning, some are psychopaths to a greater or lesser degree, some fall for temptation, some have killed on the spur of the moment (a typical domestic murder where someone has been pushed too far), some who go out day-to-day carrying a knife, some who obviously thrive on violence (as per the OPs post - so in my view needs to be kept away from society).
One thing I would do with prison is make inmates work damn hard for their food and other comforts. I would hope that would reduce the costs. I would hope that might get younger offenders trained into a working lifestyle.
Prevention is better than cure and so any ideas/efforts to steer young people the right way are cheaper in the long run. Sadly Youth clubs seem to have gone by the wayside. Someone once told me if you don't keep young lads busy they will find something fun to do that may not be positive. Parents - some of them need to be sterilised as they have no intention of bringing up children properly.
Drugs. Reponsible for many crimes. Low level the theft of a phone or mugging for £20 worth of Heroin etc. Organised gangs distributing drugs and fighting for their "empire". Drug overlords manipulating the idiots below for their own benefits. I would happily kill a drug overlord before a murderer. Drug dealers -get them out of circulation (Prison).
Death penalty - I don't know but some offenders are maybe not worth keeping alive.
