Capital Punishment: Why or Why Not? Justice can not be served until the debate on capital punishment is resolved and all states have come to agree that the death penalty is the best way to stop crime completely. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition defines execution as the act or an instance of putting to death or being put to death as a lawful penalty. Many people who are against capital punishment are only thinking of the criminal and how cruel it is for them. But, shouldn't we think of the families that are broken apart of the merciless acts of these criminals. Think of Susan Smith, h