Justice » 2/2 » Team Kenan at the Kenan Institute for Ethics

Jail Cell Too Small or Prisoner Too Big?

Mar 162011

March 16, 2011 Posted by Sadhna Tagged with: Human Rights, Justice

Ever since the war on terrorism, torture has been a heatedly debated topic in this country. However, a story in The Netherlands provides a unique twist to this conversation.
A Dutch prisoner recently sued the government for “torture” because his jail cell is too small; or rather he is too big. The court ruled against Angelo MacD, who weighs 230 kg (approximately 506 pounds) and is 6 feet and 9 inches tall. In fact, MacD does not seem to be exceptionally obese, but rather just tall, big, and heavy. The court affirmed that the prisoner’s conditions are not inhumane.
His lawyer argued that this violates the conditions of detention outlined in the European Convention on Human Rights. I do not think that this case can be compared to “torture” and I do not think that the prison system is deliberately designed to cause pain to people of a big stature, like MacD.
So how bad could his conditions be?

Would You Steal to Educate Your Kids?

Mar 102011

March 10, 2011 Posted by Sadhna Tagged with: Deontology, Education Ethics, Good Intentions?, Justice, Things that suck

It’s the classic question: is it still wrong to steal food if you do it to feed your starving children?
Kelley Williams-Bolar, a poor black woman from Ohio, faced the same problem in her own life but slightly modified: is it wrong to commit fraud if it is the only way you can give your kids access to a good education?

Williams-Bolar was arrested and found guilty of tampering with records and falsifying enrollment papers for her two daughters so they could attend a prominently “rich, white” school for two years. The school has closed enrollment policies and it costs $800 per month to enroll students who do not live in the district.

Williams-Bolar was sentenced to 10 days in jail, two years probation, and 80 hours of community service. There is also a possibility that Williams-Bolar will no longer be able to obtain the teaching degree she was close to obtaining at the University of Akron in Ohio.

Most would agree that committing fraud, as a general principle, is unacceptable and must therefore be punished. As a single act, there may not be a hugely significant cost to Williams-Bolar sneaking her daughters into the school, but the entire system would unravel if every poor mother followed in her footsteps.

But it is important to look at Williams-Bolar’s intentions and the situation she lives in.
Is it possible that her only real chance to provide her daughters with a real life opportunity to succeed required her to break the law?

Witches in Jail

Feb 102011

February 10, 2011 Posted by Chad Tagged with: Justice, Science vs ... Not Science, Witches

A proposed bill in Romania states that licensed witches could end up in jail if their predictions turned out to be false.

I know, curses!

But wait a second, what? If you have time, read through this super short report and after you’re done fretting over how the Romanian government officials are going to fight off the spells that are currently being placed on them, let’s take a second and think about this.

And yes, Professor Trelawney would be totally done for.

But, should this law also apply to weatherman? Sports announcers? Advisors? Marketing consultants? Why or why not?

Should a sports announcer be punished if her projections of the game outcome didn’t come true? Should a weatherman go to jail if his predictions turned out to be false? Or if a consultant’s advice turned out to be useless?

Frosty Got Run Over By a … Bus?

Jan 312011

January 31, 2011 Posted by Grace Tagged with: Justice, People Being Stupid, Snowman Rights

Forget “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” The video to watch this winter season is “Frosty Got Run Over by a Bus!”

What began as a “harmless” prank of placing a snowman in the middle of the street led to the unfortunate termination of a Champaign–Urbana city bus driver. After the footage of the “hit-and- run” incident went viral on YouTube, officials of the transit company met with the guilty employee and facilitated a “quiet resignation.” Although company officials did not elaborate on the cause of the termination, I suspect the YouTube video was the guilty culprit.

Many Chicago residents blamed the pranksters for the unfair termination of the bus driver and others censured him for running-down Frosty at 30 mph. After viewing the video, YOU decide: who is at fault?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ2aAmMRjxc]

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