Should criminals lose their qualifications?
Nobody can ever take a qualification from you but should the law be changed where people convicted of serious crimes lose their qualifications?
For example if a doctor murders patients; an engineer manufactures bombs for use in terrorism; or an accountant commits serious fraud to the tune of millions, then should these people lose their degrees, and even their A Levels as a result?
For example if a doctor murders patients; an engineer manufactures bombs for use in terrorism; or an accountant commits serious fraud to the tune of millions, then should these people lose their degrees, and even their A Levels as a result?
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Take away their A-Levels. That'll teach 'em.
Original post by Arran90
Nobody can ever take a qualification from you but should the law be changed where people convicted of serious crimes lose their qualifications?
For example if a doctor murders patients; an engineer manufactures bombs for use in terrorism; or an accountant commits serious fraud to the tune of millions, then should these people lose their degrees, and even their A Levels as a result?
For example if a doctor murders patients; an engineer manufactures bombs for use in terrorism; or an accountant commits serious fraud to the tune of millions, then should these people lose their degrees, and even their A Levels as a result?
I'm currently undecided on the matter.
No. The doctor is still a capable doctor, the engineer is still a capable engineer and the accountant is still a capable accountant. Qualifications should measure a person's ability and knowledge, rather than their ethics. Depending on circumstances actions should be taken against each of them, but this isn't the way to do it.
Original post by 999tigger
What a ridiculous op. You can't remove knowldge like that.
Education and qualifications are two completely different things although it's not realised by many students.
For some odd reason, this thread reminds me of E17's "Stay Another Day", replace "Stay Another Day" with "Take it away from you". 
OP I think you mean professional accreditation. Professionals acting illegally, and sometimes simply unethically, are routinely prevented from practising in their industry. Doctors are struck off, lawyers disbarred etc.
You can't revoke someone's degree certificate based on actions post-graduation. It would be ridiculous to do so anyway; it only recognises a level of knowledge/achievement that can't be undone.
You can't revoke someone's degree certificate based on actions post-graduation. It would be ridiculous to do so anyway; it only recognises a level of knowledge/achievement that can't be undone.
Original post by Arran90
Nobody can ever take a qualification from you but should the law be changed where people convicted of serious crimes lose their qualifications?
For example if a doctor murders patients; an engineer manufactures bombs for use in terrorism; or an accountant commits serious fraud to the tune of millions, then should these people lose their degrees, and even their A Levels as a result?
For example if a doctor murders patients; an engineer manufactures bombs for use in terrorism; or an accountant commits serious fraud to the tune of millions, then should these people lose their degrees, and even their A Levels as a result?
They shouldn't lose their qualifications, no - the only reason why you should lose a qualification is if evidence arose that you gained it unfairly or fraudulently. However, in most of the cases you're talking about, any kind of serious crime would probably destroy the person's career anyway. For instance, a doctor who can't be trusted to take care of patients any more would be struck off the medical register.
Original post by Plagioclase
They shouldn't lose their qualifications, no - the only reason why you should lose a qualification is if evidence arose that you gained it unfairly or fraudulently. However, in most of the cases you're talking about, any kind of serious crime would probably destroy the person's career anyway. For instance, a doctor who can't be trusted to take care of patients any more would be struck off the medical register.
But they could use their medical degree to get into other STEM professions where there is no clinical duty of care.
Original post by Nameless Ghoul
But they could use their medical degree to get into other STEM professions where there is no clinical duty of care.
Okay but let's be honest, the likelihood of someone with a serious criminal record being accepted into an important job isn't particularly likely unless there's a very good reason behind it.
Original post by Plagioclase
Okay but let's be honest, the likelihood of someone with a serious criminal record being accepted into an important job isn't particularly likely unless there's a very good reason behind it.
Aye, that's true. In the examples OP gave, you might as well get a tent and walk out into the woods looking for the Yellow Brick Road. You're done for; you're as employable as Nick Griffin, whose degree Cambridge actually took away.
But for criminal negligence, commonly what will get people struck off by the GMC, there is a career to be had after that. But not in clinical medicine.
Original post by Arran90
Nobody can ever take a qualification from you but should the law be changed where people convicted of serious crimes lose their qualifications?
For example if a doctor murders patients; an engineer manufactures bombs for use in terrorism; or an accountant commits serious fraud to the tune of millions, then should these people lose their degrees, and even their A Levels as a result?
For example if a doctor murders patients; an engineer manufactures bombs for use in terrorism; or an accountant commits serious fraud to the tune of millions, then should these people lose their degrees, and even their A Levels as a result?
Absolutely not. They have worked hard to gain their qualifications / education and regardless of their future conducts we should not take that away from them.
If a mathematics students, brilliant at hackathons, resides to hacking for whatever reason, why should we take that BSc Maths away from him or her? He may have run into financial troubles or does so for political reasons; what is the rationale? Taking BSc away from him / her would only make things worse.
If a history or genetics student engages in historical revisionism of topics so contentious we accept them as facts, but then his or her innovative findings alters our conceptions - let's say proves that hunter gatherers had objectively different genetic compound and is punished for eugenics, why should we take that degree away from him or her?
What if economics student protests against Panama and is charged in the court of law for misconduct - that punishment is enough, he is still an economist.
I mean that is probably the worst idea ever.
Original post by Nameless Ghoul
Aye, that's true. In the examples OP gave, you might as well get a tent and walk out into the woods looking for the Yellow Brick Road. You're done for; you're as employable as Nick Griffin, whose degree Cambridge actually took away.
But for criminal negligence, commonly what will get people struck off by the GMC, there is a career to be had after that. But not in clinical medicine.
But for criminal negligence, commonly what will get people struck off by the GMC, there is a career to be had after that. But not in clinical medicine.
Nick Griffin had a degree, and from Cambridge? And they took it away?
All a big surprise to me! >.<
Original post by KingKoala
Yes but if they have no qualifications when they get out are they not more likely to commit more crime because they will find it much harder to get work?
Should just dump them all in the ocean tbh
Take away professional registration sure... but they earned the degree fair and square, so it would be silly and unfair; they would in some respects still have the degree (as an experience and all the knowledge they have gained), just not officially - which would be a bit pointless really. Goes against the whole idea of restorative justice too. Unless its honorary in which case... well... its not a real degree anyway.
Original post by Virgili
Should just dump them all in the ocean tbh
be gone with them.Original post by KingKoala be gone with them.
be gone with them.Pay people to build ships (creating jobs) - Get the resources needed (more jobs) - Need people to man and sail the boats (more jobs) - Then dump them.
If any of them swim back to shore we can either employ people to shoot them or put them in the Olympics team.
Can't tell me this isn't genius
Certainly not. Specially if it's a PhD or an MSc. PhDs and MScs are rewarded for the research the graduate has done. Even if the graduate goes on to murder the whole country of Nairubi, that doesn't discredit the research he's made the least bit. Perhaps if it was an honourary degree or some award or something, then yes.
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