In 2023, family members of incarcerated individuals in Alabama discovered that their loved ones' organs were missing after death. Since then, lawsuits have been filed against the Alabama Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, alleging that organs were removed without authorization and without notification of or consent from next of kin. Using Alabama as a case study, this presentation will examine the legal, bioethical and theological issues involved; explore how Catholic social teaching and Christian anthropology can guide dignity-affirming care for deceased incarcerated persons; and consider how these principles illuminate correctional healthcare as a ministry.
Registration coming soon.
