Ethical Treatment of Prisoners

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Ethical Treatment of Prisoners incarcerated throughout the United States Maxine Houston SOC120: Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility (ACG1238C) Instructor: David Strand October 7th, 2012 When there are millions of people incarcerated throughout the United States, the ethical treatment of prisoner’s rights must be analyzed. People have paid for crimes through being locked away from society for centuries. At first, punishments for prisoners were considered a corporal punishment such as, whipping, beheading, dismembering, torture or even death. Prior to coming to a decision upon a course of action, the utilitarian is asked to consider its effects on the entire population over an infinite period of time (Mosser, 2010). Our society’s ethical values have changed. Through the utilitarian view the argument could be made that these prisoners are being treated to good and not good enough. One problem with this method of decision-making is that many people might not agree with the premise that maximization of happiness should be the basis for morality. An example of this is an eye for an eye; if you kill someone in my family then I will have your life. “The economic and physical sanctions have given way of imprisonment less depreciation in the liberty of parole and probation. Ethics refer to the study of the moral value of human behavior and the rules and principles that are meant to govern the behavior.” (Survillion, 2012) “There are many consequences for drug trafficking! In the U.S it is illegal to traffic drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and p.c.p etc.” (Survillion, 2012) The persons caught and sentenced to jail time can face up to years depending on the amount and area they pick up this charge. A lot of people sell drugs as a way to survive in life because they are uneducated and cannot find work that pay’s enough money to pay for
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