Ethical Treatment of Prisoners

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Ethical Treatment of Prisoners Vaniesea Forbes SOC 120 Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility Instructor: Amber Anderson Espana April 24, 2013 For hundreds of years prisoners had no rights, wardens ran their facilities as they deemed necessary and furthermore, they were not held accountable for the conditions which existed in their facilities. Over time however, changes were incorporated to accommodate inmates and preserve their basic human rights. We all have feelings of what is right and what is wrong, It is those same feelings, which help to guide us towards doing what we believe to be ethically and morally correct. The ethical treatment of these prisoners has been an ongoing concern and debate for years. With the prison population on the rise this task has become harder than ever. What are prisoner’s ethical rights and furthermore; what are the ethical responsibilities of prison officials? Although prisoners have lost certain rights associated with freedom, they still maintain the right to safe and humane conditions while incarcerated. This means they have a right to their safety, decent food, clothing, housing and medical care. Prison officials on the other hand, have the responsibility of either staffing or having on call doctors, practitioners and psychiatrist, who can address and properly attend to the medical needs of treatment of those on individuals confined within the prison system. Prison officials also have the ethical responsibility of setting forth rules and regulations which prisoners must follow. Punishments are handed out to those who do not follow the mandated policies. These punishments can range from the less severe such as
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