Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I saw a 'Forensic Files' show the other night and the true story was about this guy that raped and killed an 8 year old girl. That's the lowest of the low. The creepiest of the creeps. So my question is should that creeps organs be harvested to give people transplants that they need to survive? Would it be justice to give his organs to a child in need to survive for what he did? The feeling inside me says yes but I realize it is a huge legal entanglement
I saw a 'Forensic Files' show the other night and the true story was about this guy that raped and killed an 8 year old girl. That's the lowest of the low. The creepiest of the creeps. So my question is should that creeps organs be harvested to give people transplants that they need to survive? Would it be justice to give his organs to a child in need to survive for what he did? The feeling inside me says yes but I realize it is a huge legal entanglement
No, I think that the justification for our judicial system comes from our need to protect society from the actions of bad people. I do not believe in retributive justice. We are justified in locking up mass murderers insofar as that allow us to protect society from mass murderers. Going further than is necessary for protection isn't justified. In other words, our purpose shouldn't be to "get even," it should simply be to protect.
As such, we would be no more justified in killing a murderer for organs than we would be in killing a random Joe walking down the street.
I saw a 'Forensic Files' show the other night and the true story was about this guy that raped and killed an 8 year old girl. That's the lowest of the low. The creepiest of the creeps. So my question is should that creeps organs be harvested to give people transplants that they need to survive? Would it be justice to give his organs to a child in need to survive for what he did? The feeling inside me says yes but I realize it is a huge legal entanglement
Absolutely not.
As another person points out, at that point its the step beyond justice.
No. That would be a stepping stone for all sorts of things that are wrong. We have already done medical experiments in the past on minorities and prisoners. Things like that should be voluntary. If not the business people will step in and figure out a way to abuse it and make a fortune.
The concept outlined by the OP is, in my view, another example of how crime and punishment has evolved in this country into crime and punishment and revenge.
I saw a 'Forensic Files' show the other night and the true story was about this guy that raped and killed an 8 year old girl. That's the lowest of the low. The creepiest of the creeps. So my question is should that creeps organs be harvested to give people transplants that they need to survive? Would it be justice to give his organs to a child in need to survive for what he did? The feeling inside me says yes but I realize it is a huge legal entanglement
1) No.
2) Lethal injection - the primary method in all 31 American states with capital punishment renders organs unusable for transplant. The backup/offender-option methods of electrocution and lethal gas do as well, though the rare instances of the firing squad (unused in over 8 years) and hanging (unused in over 22 years) would conceivably result in usable organs.
3) The lifestyles of those on death row - rampant substance abuse, rampant Hep C infection rates, and so forth - don't make for a promising donor pool.
4) The purpose of the criminal justice system is deterrence, prevention, rehabilitation. It's not as an organ farm.
5) There are abundant organs. The shortage results from most people not choosing to donate, or having their wishes overridden by surviving family. The solution is to make organ donation implied and the default, with an opt-out if people want to do so.
2) Lethal injection - the primary method in all 31 American states with capital punishment renders organs unusable for transplant. The backup/offender-option methods of electrocution and lethal gas do as well, though the rare instances of the firing squad (unused in over 8 years) and hanging (unused in over 22 years) would conceivably result in usable organs.
3) The lifestyles of those on death row - rampant substance abuse, rampant Hep C infection rates, and so forth - don't make for a promising donor pool.
4) The purpose of the criminal justice system is deterrence, prevention, rehabilitation. It's not as an organ farm.
5) There are abundant organs. The shortage results from most people not choosing to donate, or having their wishes overridden by surviving family. The solution is to make organ donation implied and the default, with an opt-out if people want to do so.
I agree with everything except your last sentence.
Permission should have to be sought and given.
The burden should be on those wanting to use organs to get permission.
NOT on people to opt out.
"Implied permission unless opting out".........is a slippery slope this country / medical profession should not be heading down.
I agree with everything except your last sentence.
Permission should have to be sought and given.
The burden should be on those wanting to use organs to get permission. NOT on people to opt out.
"Implied permission unless opting out".........is a slippery slope this country / medical profession should not be heading down.
Good point. Imagine if people took the "implied permission unless one opts out" approach for consent to sexual activity.
The other points he raised were valid, especially the lifestyle point. Forget what the act of execution using the methods in use today does to an organ's viability. Even before that point there may be a history of drug use or STDs that would render organ ineligible for donation.
I also like the points some have made about the justice system becoming a revenge system. I believe that sometimes "justice" means executing one for his crimes. I am perfectly comfortable with the idea of punishing capital crimes with death. But as long as we claim to be a just society, we cannot let the requirement for punishment bleed to the point of vengeance.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
