February 2, 2023
Inmates in the state of Massachusetts may soon have the option to reduce their prison sentence at the cost of an organ.
The Guardian reported that a proposed bill seeks to create a program in the department of corrections to facilitate the trade of time for organs or bone marrow.
If passed into law, Bill HD.3822 would allow "eligible incarcerated individuals to gain not less than 60 and not more than 365 day reduction in the length of their committed sentence."
A 5 member committee would oversee the system including a prisoners' rights activist and a state facility specialist.
Concerns have been raised about the program including the potential for racial inequities, forced donation tactics, stolen organs, and below optimal medical conditions and procedures.
While anyone can become an organ donor, inmates can only do so for immediate family members.
According to the Health Resources & Services Administration, in 2021 over 40,000 transplant surgeries were carried out in the U.S. with over 105,000 people still on the waiting list. The kidney is most in demand followed by the liver, heart, and lung.
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