Legal Definitions - capital punishment

Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is a form of punishment where a person is sentenced to death for committing a serious crime. The punishment is carried out through an execution, which is the act of putting the person to death. The person who is waiting for execution is said to be on death row.

In the past, capital punishment was used for a limited number of crimes such as treason, murder, rape, and arson. However, over time, the number of crimes that carried the death penalty increased. For example, during the reigns of the Tudors and Stuarts in England, no more than about fifty offenses carried the death penalty. But in the 18th century, their number began to increase, and by the time of George III's death, the number of capital offenses had increased by about one hundred and ninety.

Today, capital punishment is still used in some states in the United States, such as Alabama, California, Florida, Texas, and others. However, many states have abolished the death penalty. The U.S. federal government and the U.S. Military also retain the death penalty.

For example, if a person is convicted of first-degree murder in Texas, they may be sentenced to death. This means that they will be put to death as punishment for their crime. This is an example of capital punishment.