I am concerned at the large amount of money that is being spent to keep murderers in prison. The cost for their imprisonment works out to be $1.5 million per person for a sentence of approximately 20 years. Over the past ten years there have been more than 518 convicted murderers in our jails. The total cost for the incarceration of these criminals works out to be approximately $700 million. This cost does not include anyone convicted prior to the past ten years or those convicted of manslaughter.

After completing their sentence many are freed, albeit on parole. Their victims, many of whom died painful deaths, will never be free or return to see their loved ones who are still paying the price and will do so for the rest of their lives, for the murderer's crimes. Their pain will last for ever as will the loss of a mother to her child or even the senseless slaughter of a child to their family This money could be spent on all the medicines that law abiding citizens need to help heal cancers, heart and kidney problems etc. Some of these sufferers are small children who have been diagnosed with cancers and other life threatening or incurable diseases.

While I would like to see them executed in the same fashion as their victims I realise that this would be unacceptable. Therefore a quick painless execution would be more appropriate. I believe we should bring back the death penalty.

D Warner, Papamoa