Fifth Post

3. Should prisoners be eligible to receive expensive medical therapies for illnesses?

The Seven Step Decision Model

1. Determine the facts by asking the following questions:

-what do we need to know?

Who this prisoner(s) is(are), what treatment do they need, who else is on the waiting list for the treatment.

-who is involved in the situation?

The prisoner(s), the physician, other people on the waiting list.

-where does the ethical situation take place?

In the prison medical wing, or a local medical facility.

-when does it occur?

Any time.

2. Define the precise ethical issue

Should a possibly unstable, convicted fellon, who in the eyes of many should not be alowed to live, be allowed to receive expensive medical treatment?

3. Identfy the major principles, rules, and values.  (ie. integrity, quality, respect for others, or profit?

Well, this person (yes person) was tried and convicted in out justice system, and thus taken into our penal system. When a person is accepted into that system, the system has a responsibility to do what it can to ensure the fair and humain treatment of that person, even if it requires medical treatment. After all, to fail to do so would be hypocrytical, and make us no better then the criminal. We may as well simply execute them all on conviction if we are not prepaired to do what can be done to aid them.

4.  Specify the alternatives.  List the major alternative course of action, including those that represent some form of comprimise. 

You could not treat them, and simply alow them to die, which to some would be okay.

5.  Compare values and alternatives. Determine if there is one principle or value, or a combination of principles and values, that is so compelling that the proper alternative is clear.

You could treat the person and save his life, so he can continue to pay his debt to the public. Or you could not and let him die, possilbly slowly and painfuly.

6.Assess the consquences.  Identify short-term, long-term, positive and negative consequences for the major alternatives.  The short-term gain or loss is often overridden when long-term consequences are considered.

If we do such a good job keeping prisoneral alive, then maybe our jails will become even more over crowed then they are now.

7. Make a decision.  The consequences are balanced against one's primary principles or values.

Yes, they sould be treated. 

Revisit the 11 points to ponder and in your blog post #5 select one of the eleven scenarios and take it through the seven-step decision model.   you can copy and paste into your blogger from both prompts.