December 1998
The Director - Features
Ethics, not Legislation
The best defense against government regulation may come from within the profession
Many in funeral service habitually complain that the government is placing too many regulations on the profession. So far, opposition has had little effect on curbing unwanted legislation and it is evident that a new approach needs to be taken.
According to Harper J. Simpson in his article, Ethics, not Legislation—The best defense against government regulation may come from within the profession, the solution may be very simple. The funeral service profession needs to develop and enforce its own ethical standards. By demonstrating ethical responsibility, funeral directors will prove to themselves, the families they serve and the public that funeral service is a dignified and trustworthy profession. The article focuses on the theory that funeral service can overcome excessive government regulation by monitoring and enforcing its own high ethical standards.
Simpson is a licensed funeral director in Pennsylvania and Florida with 30 years of experience. He founded a funeral business in Pennsylvania in 1972. Following the sale of the business in 1992, Simpson has worked with two major acquisition corporations and currently manages a funeral home in Naples, Florida.
