So, the issue of the death penalty seems to be back on the agenda on both sides of the pond. In the UK we have the e-petition demanding that Parliament debates returning the death penalty in the UK.
In the USA we have the questionable execution of Troy Davis, and Rick Perry's electric-chair happy gubernatorial record in the spotlight during the 999999th Republican primary debate.

So what do you guys think? This has always been a contentious issue, with supporters using arguments ranging from the (false) belief that it is cheaper than imprisoning someone for life, to simple moral equivocations that someone who takes a life should lose their own.

Is this a non-issue? Is it right to house a serial child murderer at the taxpayers' expense? Is the threat of the death penalty a deterrent, or even a useful bargaining chip when trying to coax confession/co-operation out of a suspect?