there is also something in our constitution known as a prohibition on the government in using "cruel and unusual" punishments. The reality today is that in our modern context, no other major first world country allows capital punishment. Although I haven't researched it I suggest that the use of solitary confinement such as we use with the Atlanta Games bomber, the Unibomber, etc. is probably rare if permitted at all.

Total solitary confinement, in my view, is torture.

I know the inmates so incarcerated have done really, really bad things. But for society to exact REVENGE and not JUSTICE is criminal.