If your answer is no, I'd like to ask why not? I believe they should be allowed to vote. Here is why: 1) It will give them a feeling of connection to the outside world. 2) It will help bring about needed prison reform i.e. stop the practice of using prison labor by some of these big corporations. 3) It will force politicians to think about inmates as voters, not just some riff raff that they can forget about. What do you folks think?
One of the penalties involving conviction of a felony is the loss of voting rights. That is part of the debt owed to society. That shouldn't change. If one is in jail as part of a conviction for a misdemeanor, I don't see why they should not be allowed to vote.
Granny don't think it's such a hot idea... ... dey might vote demselves outta jail... ... an' into office... ... den where would we be?
I think Moriah is on to something here. It could give inmates a feeling of having some kind of stake in what is happening in society and could lead to decreased incidence of revolving door incarceration.
I don't believe they should have any rights and in addition to that I don't think they should be a financial liability to the taxpaying citizens. I feel they should be required to provide the necessary labor to cover the cost of their imprisonment. This is my opinion. I realize yours is probably different.
Just like I can vote my way into being a millionaire? If society decides that they should be in prison then it should be society’s responsibility to pay for it. Furthermore you can’t treat someone like an animal for a decade then be surprised they don’t know how to act in society when they get out. Treat them like humans with rights and responsibilities and you might be surprised at what comes out.
I've got no problem with treating someone with dignity and respect. However, you and I had to work to obtain shelter, clothing and food. I don't see why convicts should be rewarded by you and me paying their way. Again, that's my personal thought. I realize yours is different.
So you believe a person should give up all the rights of citizenship while in jail or prison? Isn't the fact that they are locked up enough? Why must we destroy their humanity?
I am thinking about writing to Gov. Brown and asking him about this issue. It would probably have to be put on the ballot after collecting a lot of signatures huh? Here in California I think it might pass.
The way I view it is that they knew when they committed a felony, that part of that debt to society was the loss of their voting rights. Changing that after the fact means part of that debt has been removed. I don't see why that should be done.
I think when it comes to committing felonies, and being convicted of doing so, they have proved they aren't interested in having a stake in what is going on in society. They made their decision, and they have to live with it. I don't think levels of recidivism has anything to do with not being able to vote.
I think we should view prison as being similar to putting a child in timeout. Obviously with big boy rules in place, but we expect the child to learn a lesson and we don’t love them any less during or after they’re done with their punishment. I think if we just looked as prisoners as people that needed a break from society we’d be in a better place.
No, it's more like a sweatshop industry where people profit off other people's misery from man-made progressive laws that violate natural laws.
Ok. But that is not the point. If someone is growing weed in a state that makes doing so a felony, they made a decision to accept the risk. Crying about it, and the ramifications, after the fact is absurd. It's about as simple as taking the next breath.