JLUSA leader Michael Cox speaks out against proposed organ harvesting for reduced prison time legislation
by JLUSA
February 9, 2023
“Newly proposed legislation would allow incarcerated people in Massachusetts to trade one precious commodity, donated organs, for another: Time.
“Under HD.3822, a bill filed in the State House last month, incarcerated individuals could shave two months to one year off of their prison sentence in exchange for bone marrow and organ donations. …
“However, the proposal has raised eyebrows — and questions — among ethicists and advocates for incarcerated peoples’ rights.
“‘When I saw the bill, it just smacked as unethical and depraved. And the reason is because it is unethical to sell organs; it is unethical to incentivize the selling of organs for very, very good reasons,’ said Michael Cox, executive director of the prison abolition organization Black and Pink Massachusetts, which supports LGBTQ+ and HIV+ people impacted by the criminal legal system.
“He said the focus on incarcerated individuals was particularly shocking.
“‘They’re a marginalized group in society, highly stigmatized and extremely vulnerable,’ Cox said in an interview. ‘And so to incentivize the selling of your body parts in exchange for the most precious commodity in the world — which is time on this earth, and your freedom — was just so appalling.’”