Should prison inmates be allowed to vote?

Discussion in 'Law & Justice' started by Moriah, Jul 28, 2018.

  1. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2013
    Messages:
    7,646
    Likes Received:
    2,125
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    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?
     
    XploreR and yiostheoy like this.
  2. DaveBN

    DaveBN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2018
    Messages:
    9,063
    Likes Received:
    4,872
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I think that it could be appropriate. Maybe with consideration for the reason they’re in there.
     
    Moriah likes this.
  3. ocean515

    ocean515 Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2015
    Messages:
    17,908
    Likes Received:
    10,396
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
  4. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2013
    Messages:
    7,646
    Likes Received:
    2,125
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Yes. I should have added that maybe people on death row should be excluded.
     
    DaveBN likes this.
  5. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2013
    Messages:
    7,646
    Likes Received:
    2,125
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Why shouldn't it change? Aren't they paying their debt to society by being locked up?
     
  6. waltky

    waltky Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2009
    Messages:
    30,071
    Likes Received:
    1,204
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Granny don't think it's such a hot idea...

    ... dey might vote demselves outta jail...

    ... an' into office...

    ... den where would we be?
     
    Toefoot likes this.
  7. DaveBN

    DaveBN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2018
    Messages:
    9,063
    Likes Received:
    4,872
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
    Moriah likes this.
  8. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2013
    Messages:
    7,646
    Likes Received:
    2,125
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    We wouldn't be any worse off than we are now in my humble opinion.o_O
     
    waltky likes this.
  9. Capt Nice

    Capt Nice Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2017
    Messages:
    9,998
    Likes Received:
    10,217
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2018
  10. DaveBN

    DaveBN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2018
    Messages:
    9,063
    Likes Received:
    4,872
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
    waltky and Moriah like this.
  11. Capt Nice

    Capt Nice Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2017
    Messages:
    9,998
    Likes Received:
    10,217
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
  12. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2013
    Messages:
    7,646
    Likes Received:
    2,125
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    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?
     
  13. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2013
    Messages:
    7,646
    Likes Received:
    2,125
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Thank you! I don't know why our criminal justice system can't figure this out.
     
  14. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2013
    Messages:
    7,646
    Likes Received:
    2,125
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    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.:xd:
     
    DaveBN likes this.
  15. Moonglow

    Moonglow Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2013
    Messages:
    20,754
    Likes Received:
    8,047
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Same place we've always been..
     
    waltky and Moriah like this.
  16. ocean515

    ocean515 Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2015
    Messages:
    17,908
    Likes Received:
    10,396
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
    waltky likes this.
  17. ocean515

    ocean515 Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2015
    Messages:
    17,908
    Likes Received:
    10,396
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
  18. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2013
    Messages:
    7,646
    Likes Received:
    2,125
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    OK. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
     
    ocean515 likes this.
  19. Lil Mike

    Lil Mike Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2011
    Messages:
    51,287
    Likes Received:
    22,667
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Heh! That's very likely!
     
  20. JakeJ

    JakeJ Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 5, 2015
    Messages:
    27,360
    Likes Received:
    8,062
    Trophy Points:
    113
    No. However, after they have served their sentence then yes.
     
  21. Moriah

    Moriah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2013
    Messages:
    7,646
    Likes Received:
    2,125
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
     
  22. DaveBN

    DaveBN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2018
    Messages:
    9,063
    Likes Received:
    4,872
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
    Moriah likes this.
  23. Moonglow

    Moonglow Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2013
    Messages:
    20,754
    Likes Received:
    8,047
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I think felonies fer growing weed, like a couple of plants for personal use, is tyranny.
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2018
  24. Moonglow

    Moonglow Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2013
    Messages:
    20,754
    Likes Received:
    8,047
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2018
    DaveBN likes this.
  25. ocean515

    ocean515 Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2015
    Messages:
    17,908
    Likes Received:
    10,396
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    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.
     

Share This Page