The Monitor's Feb. 6 editorial on the death penalty says most of what needs to be said on the topic.

The death penalty is wasteful of public resources, including tax dollars and the time of public servants. The outcome of capital trials can be affected by human error, prejudice and faulty memories of witnesses. Execution is not reversible, brings no crime victims back to life and has no demonstrably positive effect on violent crime. In short, the death penalty serves no meaningful public policy goals.

Society is right to call for "justice" in response to brutal crimes. But however outraged we may be by the actions of violent criminals, the state must not use their brutal behavior as the standard for its own. The state does not need to kill killers to protect public safety and teach a lesson about the value of life.

ARNIE ALPERT

Canterbury