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Blood, marrow, blood stem cells, skin, the liver, kidneys and lungs are all vital parts of the human body that can be safely donated in order to save the life of another human being. But these precious resources are on a very time-sensitive schedule, as they deteriorate quickly and there isn’t a way to store them for future use. It is because of this that there is always a constant need for donations and for those who can give to do so.

The United States of America represents nearly 5 percent of the entire world’s population and yet holds nearly 25 percent of the world’s prison population.

That is a tremendous number of people who are currently being held inside a prison or a jail, many of whom are low-level offenders and who have had their rights taken away from them, such as the right to vote and, yes, even the ability to donate. While some prisons are allowed to give the prisoner the right to donate, other cannot because they lack a state law allowing them to do so.

While it may be unethical to think of forcing prisoners to donate blood, marrow or anything else that they could, there is nothing unethical about offering them the opportunity to do so and possibly saving a life in the process.

When a prisoner enters the correctional system, a complete file is made on the prisoner including blood type, previous diseases and other health factors key to keeping them healthy. Many of these factors would also be key in the donation of any blood or tissue. With such a detailed medical filing system already in place, doctors could simply input the information of something that is needed and weed out prisoners whose donations would be of no help.

For example a little girl needs bone marrow, so after eliminating those who are not compatible and being left with about 100 prisoners, doctors simply ask the prisoners whether they would be willing to donate. Prisoner and guards would not know anything about the patient, other than that she and the prisoner are a match.

Prisoners normally are rarely given a true chance to redeem themselves. Knowing that they are the reason someone is alive, that there is someone out there who is thankful for them will be a lasting and positive influence.

One major concern that doctors and patients have is the possibility of infection from anything donated by a prisoner, as many of the listed factors that make a person ineligible to donate occur in prison, such as unprotected intercourse, tattooing with instruments that aren’t sterile and more. But thanks to advances in medical technology, blood and tissues taken from a prisoner can be tested for diseases such as hepatitis, Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease, HIV or malaria, before a donation is made.

In addition to advances in screening for diseases, prison personnel keep detailed records of events such as a new tattoo appearing in the last month or attacks the prisoner may have suffered, physical and sexual, which can serve to verify or disprove a person’s eligibility to donate.

Prisoners normally are rarely given a true chance to redeem themselves in any way. Besides looking good on a parole hearing, donations of blood, bone marrow or kidneys may be life saving; the fact that a prisoner made such a profound difference for someone else, will stick with them. Knowing that they are the reason someone is alive, that there is someone out there who is thankful for them will be a lasting and positive influence.

We do not need new programs or a new system to get this going, we just need a way to allow medical professionals to ask prisoners to donate and for prisoners to be able to say yes. We need a federal law allowing prisoners the right to donate blood, tissue and organs while they are still incarcerated so they can start making a difference and begin a healing process that will help them complete their time and return to society on a good note.

America can do this. Our prisoners can become better people if only given the chance to do so. Let’s lend them a hand in helping them to be able to help others.