Man of Ethics
Gold Member
- Feb 28, 2021
- 4,682
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- 248
I have great respect for productive members of Society. I have great respect for people who have build success by work and willpower. As an Aspie and a non-productive member of Society, I have lower status and less material independence. Nevertheless, I know that I have innate value and innate rights! There are many people on much lower level in Society then myself. Some of these people are addicts and criminals. Nevertheless, even they have innate value and some rights! Even these people deserve humane treatment. In this nanoessay, we discuss one of them called Cain.
This story is based on a Documentary about Irish Prison Service. Cain and Abel were not brothers, but they were best friends. Cain's name is Stephen, unless that is also a pseudonym. I do not know Abel's name or any pseudonym he has used. By the time the Documentary was produced, Abel was dead for 8 years.
Cain and Abel have served several short jail terms for drug offenses. They also served a few jail terms for theft. Even though Cain and Abel had welfare income, that was not sufficient to support their drug habits. Once upon 2009, the two friends had a string of bad luck in theft. They have exhausted their reserves of money and methamphetamine, but still had a short supply of the drug even for one high. Cain and Abel were upset and suffering withdrawal symptoms.
What happened that day? Possibly they had an argument. Possibly Cain decided that Abel's share of methamphetamine is much more important then Abel himself. Possibly Cain was not clearly thinking due to withdrawal-induced rage. As it happened, Cain stabbed Abel with a sharp knife. That day, Cain a good high and almost overdosed.
When Cain regained consciousness in a jail hospital, he himself was horrified to find out that he had killed his best friend! Later that year he was charged with first degree murder. Insanity Defense was not even attempted, since his state of mind was induced by narcotics he has willingly taken. Cain was sentenced to life in prison.
To his credit, Cain is working on rehabilitation. According to latest information from 2018, he has completed drug treatment and several other programs. Cain is on his best behaviour. He is likely to be paroled in 2024.
It is impossible to deny that Cain is one of the worst members of Society. By 2009, Cain was a professional criminal. The day he killed Abel, he acted in a most unethical manner even by the standards of professional criminals themselves. Nevertheless, even Cain has innate value. Even Cain is entitled to Fundamental Human Rights. Even Cain is worthy of humane treatment.
The reader may argue that my opinion is irrelevant to Cain or his standing. Fortunately, my opinion is shared by Irish Prison Service as well as prison services of Scandinavia, Canada, and several West European nations. Cain a relatively comfortable cell for himself. He has a flat-screen TV with a DVD player. Cain has a small library of movies on DVD. Of course, adult materials are banned in prison, but he has a collection of Action and Drama DVDs. Cain has access to a prison DVD library.
Cain has finished several drug treatment programs. Nevertheless, neither he nor other prisoners, nor former drug users are prohibited from smoking. Cain smokes several cigarettes per day. Cain regrets his crime to great extent. He is looking forward to his parole hearing and is hoping for Freedom.
I have seen documentaries of American prisons. These prisons are truly horrible by West European and even Russian standards. In California, some prisons live in overcrowded dormitories and sleep on 3-tier beds. Other prisoners stay years in solitary isolation. Many prisoners in solitary confinement become insane and many harm themselves.
Despite inhumanity of American prisons, American prisoners have much higher recidivism rate then West European prisoners. Despite humane conditions in Scandinavian prisons, Scandinavian prisoners have lower recidivism then other European prisoners. Irish prisons are among the best in Europe, but still not as good as Scandinavian ones. British prisons are toughest in West Europe, but are still much more humane then US prisons. Russian prisons could have been among the toughest in Europe, but they have widely available contraband.
This story is based on a Documentary about Irish Prison Service. Cain and Abel were not brothers, but they were best friends. Cain's name is Stephen, unless that is also a pseudonym. I do not know Abel's name or any pseudonym he has used. By the time the Documentary was produced, Abel was dead for 8 years.
Cain and Abel have served several short jail terms for drug offenses. They also served a few jail terms for theft. Even though Cain and Abel had welfare income, that was not sufficient to support their drug habits. Once upon 2009, the two friends had a string of bad luck in theft. They have exhausted their reserves of money and methamphetamine, but still had a short supply of the drug even for one high. Cain and Abel were upset and suffering withdrawal symptoms.
What happened that day? Possibly they had an argument. Possibly Cain decided that Abel's share of methamphetamine is much more important then Abel himself. Possibly Cain was not clearly thinking due to withdrawal-induced rage. As it happened, Cain stabbed Abel with a sharp knife. That day, Cain a good high and almost overdosed.
When Cain regained consciousness in a jail hospital, he himself was horrified to find out that he had killed his best friend! Later that year he was charged with first degree murder. Insanity Defense was not even attempted, since his state of mind was induced by narcotics he has willingly taken. Cain was sentenced to life in prison.
To his credit, Cain is working on rehabilitation. According to latest information from 2018, he has completed drug treatment and several other programs. Cain is on his best behaviour. He is likely to be paroled in 2024.
It is impossible to deny that Cain is one of the worst members of Society. By 2009, Cain was a professional criminal. The day he killed Abel, he acted in a most unethical manner even by the standards of professional criminals themselves. Nevertheless, even Cain has innate value. Even Cain is entitled to Fundamental Human Rights. Even Cain is worthy of humane treatment.
The reader may argue that my opinion is irrelevant to Cain or his standing. Fortunately, my opinion is shared by Irish Prison Service as well as prison services of Scandinavia, Canada, and several West European nations. Cain a relatively comfortable cell for himself. He has a flat-screen TV with a DVD player. Cain has a small library of movies on DVD. Of course, adult materials are banned in prison, but he has a collection of Action and Drama DVDs. Cain has access to a prison DVD library.
Cain has finished several drug treatment programs. Nevertheless, neither he nor other prisoners, nor former drug users are prohibited from smoking. Cain smokes several cigarettes per day. Cain regrets his crime to great extent. He is looking forward to his parole hearing and is hoping for Freedom.
I have seen documentaries of American prisons. These prisons are truly horrible by West European and even Russian standards. In California, some prisons live in overcrowded dormitories and sleep on 3-tier beds. Other prisoners stay years in solitary isolation. Many prisoners in solitary confinement become insane and many harm themselves.
Despite inhumanity of American prisons, American prisoners have much higher recidivism rate then West European prisoners. Despite humane conditions in Scandinavian prisons, Scandinavian prisoners have lower recidivism then other European prisoners. Irish prisons are among the best in Europe, but still not as good as Scandinavian ones. British prisons are toughest in West Europe, but are still much more humane then US prisons. Russian prisons could have been among the toughest in Europe, but they have widely available contraband.
