What is capital punishment? Why has it been such a controversial topic in the United States? According to the legal dictionary, capital punishment is a punishment in the criminal justice system that sentence serious offender to death based off of their crimes committed.[ ] Capital punishment is imposed on criminals to deter crime.[arguments for] Not only to deter crime but have some form of retribution (justice) for the criminal’s activity.[arguments for] Legal punishment is necessary to have good order and discipline in our society.[argument] When a person commits themselves to carry out a criminal activity they are assuming the responsibility and risk of receiving any type of legal punishment that may be imposed on them.[argument] Capital punishment is the maximum punishment that you can receive. It can be executed in five lawful techniques such as electrocution, hanging, lethal injection, gas chamber, and firing squad.[ ] Since 2003, 38 states have been in favor of capital punishment as a punsihment; where 12 other states did not, such as Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and District of Columbia.[ ] Although, the United States is in favor of the