Need to write a 200-word essay on the death penalty. is it too harsh or not. any ideas?

Here are some points to consider when making your argument:

The death penalty is only given to criminals who committed murders, not a minor crime such as stealing or even speeding (while driving a car).

The alternative to the death penalty is life in prison.

When an inmate goes on the death row, he\she doesn't know when the execution will take place. So it's kind of a suspense for them and drives them more crazy.

The execution is done by taking a show of drugs that puts them to death slowly. Lately, in the news, these executions have blotched up and went awry.

Hope that helped :)