Today returning guest writer James P. Keihl, II asks the question: Why aren’t inmates allowed to donate blood? Astonishingly this is true, yet there are millions of inmates nationwide that could be a valued source of life saving blood. If only 10% of those incarcerated donated a pint of blood once a month, it would equate to many tens of thousands of additional pints monthly, and hundreds of thousands of pints of life saving blood per year.

It’s astounding that our elected officials haven’t pursued this avenue of societal benefit. So many inmates want to give back to society, to somehow begin to heal the pain or suffering from the acts they’ve committed, and to help the very communities they once lived in.

For most inmates, the only way they are allowed to give back to society is through participation in community service programs at the institutional level. These may involve making school supplies for poor school districts, knitting projects, gardening, making monetary donations through the vast network of inmate organizations or volunteering for community benefit projects that periodically crop up over the course of a year.

Yet, the one thing that can save a life inmates are not allowed to do: donate blood. Something seems very wrong with this picture.

Read James’s essay Better To Give Than To Receive now, and discover how to change this. He brings up important points. If allowed to donate, inmates have the potential to solve one of the nation’s most important needs. Perhaps it’s time to give this serious consideration.

It seems appropriate during this time of global need that this avenue and source of life saving blood should be explored, if nothing but to help during this crisis. Perhaps one of you reading this knows someone that may be able to help get the ball rolling so that the thousands of inmates wishing to help can? It’s a win/win for everyone, and it’s the right thing to do.

—Christopher—

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