Less Jail Time for Organ Donors
The State of South Carolina is mulling over a possible legislation that would allow inmates to donate organs and bone marrow in exchange for time off of their jail sentence. There is a large need for organs and marrow in South Carolina, and an incentive for becoming a donor is up to 180 days off of an inmate's sentence. This legislation is still being debated, considering that it is illegal to 'sell' organs. I am not sure if I would want my loved ones to receive organs from those that are serving jail time for drug use, alcohol use, or DUI's. Granted, there is still a large portion of inmates in jail for other reasons, but this would make me wonder if a person is receiving organs that are not as healthy as they could be. That may sound naive, considering the shortage of organ donors and organs in the United States, but the same goes for someone who needs a lung transplant and taking the lungs from a smoker. Also, do we really want convicted felons out on the streets 6 months before their sentence is up? On the other hand, there are hundreds of thousands of inmates in the U.S., and the amount of organ donors would surely rise if this law were to pass. There are many benefits and costs to this situation, and I am not sure that the risk of infected disease or convicted felons on the loose is increase in organ donors.
5 comments:
It would not be hazardous for people to receive organs from inmates. There is no way a bad kidney, lung, etc. from a drug user would be allowed to be transferred. There are so many restrictions that this should not be the problem. The problem with this is inmates being released early. Sure, their organs may help to save a life, but releasing a dangerous inmate may cause a life to be lost.
Basically, if you are in need of organs..."beggars can't be choosers." Organs will be tested before being transferred so obviously they'll be as safe as someone who isn't encarcerated. Perhaps those in jail's organs will be cleaner too, with being garunteed clean of harmful substances and regulated healthy food intake.
I think this is a great idea, but only if i was in need of an organ. I do not think this is right that inmates can shorten there jail term by donating organs. This idea would only make jail a easier place for "bad guys".
I think it is well known that the prison population is over-growing its cell capacity in America. Many of the people in jail are drug users, sellers, or in jail for drug related crimes. In no way do I condone the act of drug related activity, but I believe that these are the inmates who should be targeted for this program. This means that the inmates who are eligible for release six months early are those who have no criminal history of hurting anyone in society. These people may be less apt to do bad in society once released early from prison. As far as the organs go, I'm sure that in order to be eligible to donate, the person is going to have to have a clean bill of health, and the organ that he/she donates is completely healthy. Therefore I do not believe that just because an organ is coming from a convicted inmate, that this in any way reduces the quality of health of their organs. I'm sure that the Red Cross would be monitoring very closely this situation to begin with.
these people are in jail for commiting crimes.. they are mentally unstable and losing an organ is nothing to them
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