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Prisoners used as organ banks?
By deepfnord - Posted on March 14th, 2007
Tagged: News and politics
• Society
• Opinion
• Health
• Education
• Broad prosperity
• Personal freedom
I was reading this article on Freakonomics this morning about how there is a new program for prisoners in South Carolina. Basically how it works is like this: in exchange for donating an organ or some bone marrow, prisoners can receive credit for up to 180 days time served. Personally, I think this is an excellent idea. There is a nationwide shortage of organs and bone marrow, and waiting lists are long; thousands of people every year die because they could not obtain a donor organ. Some people oppose the program, saying that organ donation should be altruistic and not coerced; but I don't really have a problem with it. We need organs, prisoners want to get out early, and donating organs will probably take a little bit of the fight out of some of these guys. Where's the problem? This also relates to the idea of having people donate organs for money, another thing I have absolutely no issue with. Cash for organs: it's a free-market economy, and the highest bidder's going to get the prime organs.
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It's great that they are addressing the issue of organ donation, however... I have two main issues with this. The first issue is that people are in prison for a reason. They shouldn't get out early because they did a good deed. The second is that not everyone is eligible to be an organ or bone marrow donor, so would not be eligible to receive the perks that those who are eligible are going to receive from this particular program. If people are going to be getting 180 days time served for this... it should at least be fair across the board.
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
"May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the warm rays of the sun fall upon your home."
Ok, so this is a touchy issue. I'm not to sure how I like it. I agree that it's great that their donateing. But it's almost like a get out of jail free card, I don like it.
Maybe it could be made into a bigger program . . like ppl who go into jail and lose everything. The might have a job when they go in . . . but they wont when they come out. They wont have a place to live . . or whatever. Give them lil things to do around the jail - u know that they pay to be in jail - make it part of them paying it back. Paying for their paper and extra food, their lil wants and needs to make things better.
But don't let them out early . . . thats just stupid, reminds me of when they let my baby daddy out after 15 days of a 60 day sentice for the holidays. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!