In this course, we look at classical ethical theories of utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics. We also look at the different kinds of perspectives on ethical issues introduced by relativism, ethical egoism, and emotivism. For this paper, you will pick an ethical issue to discuss, but one that is not a specific topic addressed in our text (thus, gun control or product liability would not be possible choices). Some examples are given below, but it is recommended that you choose to write on a topic you have already encountered or you have thought about previously. (One way of thinking about this is to think of an ethical issue that either worries you or enrages you.) Identify, specifically, the ethical issue and the ethical problems it presents. Drawing on various sources, explain how one of the classical theories (utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics) would resolve the problem. Then, contrast this response with the perspective brought to the issue by relativism, emotivism, or ethical egoism. Finally, state which of these views is closer to your own, supporting your response with a clearly-presented and well-supported argument. The more specific you can be the better, and feel free to include examples that will strengthen your account. I chose Medical care in prisons, will attach rough draft as well.. The final version of this paper must be between eight to ten pages in length, (excluding the title and reference pages), using at least five (5) resources, and follow APA (6th edition) formatting. This paper is a compare/contrast paper. 6 Medical Care for Prisoners Medical Care for Prisoners Julio C. Armas SOC 120 Mrs. Megan Reid September 21, 2012 Is society ethically obliged to provide free healthcare to prisoners incarcerated for crimes against that same society? There are more people incarcerated in the United States than history has ever recorded; in fact, the U.S. has the world’s highest prison population with over 2 million incarcerated, and there is no indication of the population growth slowing down. This growing prison population has alarming consequences on many facets of prisoner care, and in particular, medical care provided to prisoners. The financial impact of providing adequate medical care for this enormous prison population has severe and deep reaching repercussions on not just the prisons, but the law-abiding citizens, states, and indeed, the entire nation. Many arguments have been made on what level of care constitutes adequate care, and even if health care should or should not be provided to prisoners. The ethical and moral responsibilities we, as a society, are obligated to provide is a hotly debated topic. There are many possible solutions to the health care dilemma, but whether or not those solutions meet the ethical requirements that society has incurred as a result of incarcerating people considered a threat to society is questionable. Also in question is the.

1. In this course, we look at classical ethical theories of
utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics. We also look at the
different kinds of perspectives on ethical issues introduced by
relativism, ethical egoism, and emotivism.
For this paper, you will pick an ethical issue to discuss, but one
that is not a specific topic addressed in our text (thus, gun
control or product liability would not be possible choices).
Some examples are given below, but it is recommended that you
choose to write on a topic you have already encountered or you
have thought about previously. (One way of thinking about this
is to think of an ethical issue that either worries you or enrages
you.)
Identify, specifically, the ethical issue and the ethical problems
it presents. Drawing on various sources, explain how one of the
classical theories (utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics)
would resolve the problem. Then, contrast this response with
the perspective brought to the issue by relativism, emotivism, or
ethical egoism. Finally, state which of these views is closer to
your own, supporting your response with a clearly-presented
and well-supported argument. The more specific you can be the
better, and feel free to include examples that will strengthen
your account.
I chose Medical care in prisons, will attach rough draft as well..
The final version of this paper must be between eight to ten
pages in length, (excluding the title and reference pages), using
at least five (5) resources, and follow APA (6th edition)
formatting.
This paper is a compare/contrast paper.

2. 6
Medical Care for Prisoners
Medical Care for Prisoners
Julio C. Armas
SOC 120
Mrs. Megan Reid
September 21, 2012

3. Is society ethically obliged to provide free healthcare to
prisoners incarcerated for crimes against that same society?
There are more people incarcerated in the United States than
history has ever recorded; in fact, the U.S. has the world’s
highest prison population with over 2 million incarcerated, and
there is no indication of the population growth slowing down.
This growing prison population has alarming consequences on
many facets of prisoner care, and in particular, medical care
provided to prisoners. The financial impact of providing
adequate medical care for this enormous prison population has
severe and deep reaching repercussions on not just the prisons,
but the law-abiding citizens, states, and indeed, the entire
nation. Many arguments have been made on what level of care
constitutes adequate care, and even if health care should or
should not be provided to prisoners. The ethical and moral
responsibilities we, as a society, are obligated to provide is a
hotly debated topic. There are many possible solutions to the
health care dilemma, but whether or not those solutions meet
the ethical requirements that society has incurred as a result of
incarcerating people considered a threat to society is
questionable. Also in question is the level of responsibility
incurred by society for prisoners. Applying the utilitarianism
approach to this ethical dilemma, I hope to present a viable
solution that is ethical, practical and relative to the issues at

4. hand.
Prisoner population growth, prison overcrowding and
budget cuts within the criminal justice system in the United
States has lead to an increase in the need for adequate health
care designed for a population that is forced into close
communal contact, lower levels of personal hygiene, and higher
exposure to persons with untreated, often communicable,
diseases. Incarcerated prisoners retain the right to humane
treatment and must have their basic life needs met-regardless of
their crimes. Medical care is one of those basic life needs and
prisons must, by law, provide medical care for the prisoners in
their care.
Medical care includes treatment for any illness that the
prisoner may have at the time of incarceration as well as any
illness or injury the prisoner develops while in the prison.
Prisoners tend to have higher rates of substance abuse issues,
mental health issues (many that have gone untreated for years)
and a myriad of chronic health issues such as high blood
pressure, cancer, HIV, heart problems, viral infections, and
even TB. The treatment for many of these illnesses can be very
costly and must, in some cases, be maintained throughout the
entire incarceration of the prisoner. Is society ethically
responsible to bear the cost of medical care for these prisoners?
The cost to keep just one inmate incarcerated can cost
about $140,000 a year, and this does not include the medical

5. care nor medication for a prisoner with a chronic disease.
Medication costs for a prisoner with a severe chronic disease
such as multiple sclerosis or HIV can be as high as
$100,000.00 per year, almost doubling the cost of keeping that
prisoner incarcerated. At what point does societies'
responsibility to these prisoners end? Is there an ethical and
moral solution to reducing the cost to the law abiding taxpayer
for providing health care to prisoners? Society should have no
more responsibility to prisoners than the basics of life needs,
and this would extend to the provision of healthcare as well.
Prisoners should not have a better quality of life than the
taxpayer providing that way of life by way of taxed wages.
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (ICESCR), signed but not ratified by the United
States, recognizes the right of every person to "the enjoyment of
the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health."
(Article12). The right to the highest attainable standard of
health may be read to mean that even prisoners, those who have
violated the rules of the society in which they live, are entitled
to the highest available standard of health care. However, this
doesn't mandate that society must pay for a standard of health
care that is levels higher than that of basic adequacy of care. A
prisoner should not be provided healthcare beyond that level of
care that he/she had as a free person in society. However, if free
healthcare is not provided, and prisoners die in the custody of
the state/federal authorities, have we as society violated our
ethical responsibility to treat prisoners humanely and with
dignity?
Basic health care, such as preventative care, should be
provided free, as this helps protect the entire prison population
from communicable diseases. However, the cost of healthcare
beyond that should be borne by the prisoner and/or the prisoners
family. Prisoners could pay for healthcare by working at a trade
or using a skill set that they may possess. As John Smith was
famous for saying, "He who does not work, neither shall he
eat", and this could be related to health care as well. There is a

6. school of thought that if the prisoner already had the disease
prior to incarceration, society is not responsible to provide free
medical care for that condition. However, if the disease is
communicable, it is in the best interest of all to treat and
prevent the spread of the disease.
Society has a responsibility to provide basic health care
designed to keep a prisoner as healthy as they were upon being
taken into custody and incarcerated. Society has no moral nor
ethical obligation beyond that. We do not have an obligation to
heal all the illnesses regardless of the cost to society. There will
be deaths from diseases that were not treated, but no more than
if those same prisoners were free citizens.
My views on this are that prisoners should have the same
quality of life incarcerated as they made for themselves in the
society. The quality of life will be judged by means obtained
legally. The level of health care provided to the prisoners
should not exceed that standard that a similar class of
socioeconomically related person could expect to receive. Any
cost for a higher standard of care beyond that would be borne
by the prisoner. The prison administration would be responsible
for providing work opportunities that prisoners could take
advantage of in order to afford a better quality of health care.
Victims of prison violence would have their health care paid for
by the perpetrator of the crime vs taxpayers being liable for
individual actions of an incarcerated prisoner. Prisoners that
incur bills of this sort would not have a choice to work or not-
choosing not to work to avoid financial obligations would result
in forced labor such as chain gangs, providing public service
such as trash removal, ditch clearing, and prison maintenance
for minimum wage. This solution is ethical and moral, as care is
not denied; the prisoner will receive the level of care he or she
can afford-the same as any law-abiding, tax-paying citizen.
Health care for prisoners incarcerated should be readily
available, provided by properly trained and licensed medical
personnel, of acceptable standards and good quality. A prison
operated with a firm grasp of human rights and societal

7. responsibility can provide health care that meets all ethical
requirements and yet is cost effective and in line with societal
expectations and norms. The provision of healthcare would be
administered under the same terms as any other healthcare plan,
and the medical care providers would no longer find themselves
in a position where they would be forced to choose between
what they know they should do, and what is feasible under the
given circumstances as pertains to provision of health care.
Ethical standards of care and loyalty to patients would not be
constantly challenged.

8. ReferencesAndrew P. Wilper, Steffie Woolhandler, J. Wesley
Boyd, Karen E. Lasser, Danny McCormick, David H. Bor,
David U. Himmelstein, (April, 2009) The Health and Health
Care of US Prisoners: Results of a Nationwide Survey, Am J
Public Health, pgs 666–672
llner, J. (2010). What Do human Rights Offer Correctional
Mental Health professionals? Human Rights Watch. Retrieved
from http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/03/15/what-do-human-
rights-offer-correctional-mental-health-
professionalshttp://health.usnews.com/health-news/managing-
your-healthcare/articles/2009/01/16/many-in-us-prisons-lack-
good-health-careCESCR, (1976, January), International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cescr.htm