Capital punishment is a very controversial subject.  For many years the death penalty has achieved its purpose.  The purpose of the death penalty is to stop crime from happening by making the criminal too terrified to commit a crime.  The olny problem with this is the criminals are not getting terified.  Another problem with the death penalty is that it cost much more than it should.  There is no reason to make the criminals death easer on him or her.   minal too terrified to commit a crime.