Law and Poverty.
Law and Poverty
Suppose a utility company turns off the gas or electricity of a customer who hasn’t paid their bill, during a period of extreme cold or heat. Representatives of the corporation were aware that the National Weather Service had issued an advisory warning of “dangerous and potentially life-threatening extreme temperatures.” If the customer dies from a condition related to the lack of heat or air conditioning, should the utility company be held criminally liable for the death? What if the customer’s infant child dies? Should state and local governments pass laws that expressly prohibit utilities from cutting off service when temperatures are above 100 degrees (F) or below freezing?