A new bill is making its way through Massachusetts court, leading many people to question whether its ethical.
The bill allows prisoners the opportunity to get a reduced sentence. To qualify, they have to donate an organ or bone marrow.
One complication with the new bill is federal law. Federal law prohibits the sale of organs or getting one for valuable consideration. Supporters claim that this is not the equivalent of selling an organ. However, critics point out that prisoners will give away their organs in exchange for something close enough to sell.
Critics point out that this will put pressure on prisoners. They say prisoners will feel pressured to donate organs to enjoy freedom again. Critics also say the bill is dehumanizing.
However, some for the bill point to the very framework of the bill. It points out that black and Hispanic people are incarcerated more than other races, and organs are highly needed in those communities. This would make it more likely for those needing an organ to find a match.
One critic of the bill is Democrat Kevin Ring. According to Newsmax, The bill reads like something from a dystopian novel, said Kevin Ring, President of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, a Washington, D.C.-based criminal justice reform advocacy group. Promoting organ donation is good. Reducing excessive prison terms is also good. Tying the two together is perverse.
Others wonder whether the prison system can adequately care for prisoners after organ donation. The prison system isnt known for having exceptional health care. However, the bill seeks to create a committee in charge of all these decisions, including how much time a prisoner gets off for donating. So far, the maximum reduction is one year.
South Carolina attempted to pass a similar bill in 2007. After widespread backlash, they instead opened an organ donation program for prisoners that doesnt give them a reduced sentence. Inmates participating in the program can only donate organs to family members.
This raises a question of ethics to many. Do you think prisoners should be allowed to donate organs in exchange for a reduced sentence?
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