The problems I have with life imprisonment are:
1) The possibility of prisoners being released.
2) The taxpayer burden.
I think if we could make life sentences REALLY BE LIFE SENTENCES, and we can somehow reduce the burden on taxpayers (i.e. reduction of prisoner luxury... no gyms, no sports, no recreation. 8 hours of laundry or hard labor or whatever a day, time for 3 basic meals, and the remaining hours are to be spent in their cells) and keep non-criminals out of jail (i.e. drug users), then I would support life sentences over the death penalty.
The death penalty is a savage act that reflects on humanity as a species. At this point, it is unfortunately necessary. I think there are more effective, yet more humane, forms of punishment out there. Unfortunately, it seems as though humanity is not yet mature enough to pursue them. True, these vile criminals deserve death, but life is life.
-Warik