In the United States decided to use prisoners as donors for organ transplants

Convicts who donated bone marrow are promised to “cut off” the prison term

An unusual innovation will affect American prisons. Prisoners in Massachusetts may receive shorter sentences for organ donation. True, convicts who donate parts of their body cannot count on too large a “discount” in terms of terms.

The new bill proposes that prisoners for bone marrow or organ donation receive at least minus two months from their sentence, writes The Guardian.

Be that as it may, inmates in Massachusetts may soon be able to reduce their sentences in exchange for donating their organs or bone marrow if the proposed law passes in that US state.

A new bill to create an organ and donation program within the state Department of Corrections has been proposed by two state legislators, both Democrats.

If the bill enters into force, “the program will allow eligible inmates to reduce their sentences by no less than 60 and no more than 365 days.” Along with the new program, a five-member committee will be established with responsibility for overseeing the scheme. The committee will also decide on the eligibility standards for inmates interested in the program and “the amount of bone marrow and organs donated for leniency”.

According to The Guardian, the US Federal Bureau of Prisons currently only allows inmate organ donation if the recipient is a member of their immediate family, but many state prisons, including those in Massachusetts, do not allow organ or bone marrow donation.

No US state allows organ donation from executed prisoners, even if they were registered organ donors.

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), there are currently 104,413 people in the US waiting for organ transplants, 58,970 of whom are on an active waiting list.

Judith Garcia, Massachusetts Democratic Representative for Suffolk’s 11th District and co-sponsor of the bill, said the bill would “restore prisoners’ bodily autonomy by allowing organ and bone marrow donation” and “recognize the decisions of incarcerated donors by offering reduced sentences.” “.

Jesse White, policy director for Massachusetts Prisoner Legal Services, issued a statement to McClatchy News saying racial disparity is a major issue for communities of color when it comes to access to organ and bone marrow donors, but expressed reservations about the proposed law as a way to solve the problem.

“We are concerned about the possibility of coercion and the consequences of inadequate medical care in medical institutions. We believe the solution must address the underlying structural problems leading to health disparities, including the continued unnecessary incarceration of so many people who could live freely and safely in our communities,” White told the news organization.