Should prisoner's have the right to vote?

[bodie]

I also dislike the prison system.

I think too many petty criminals come out of prison with much bigger idea's.

I think the idea behind prison is not just solely as a punishment.  I think
rehabilitation is also a factor  (or at least meant to be)

Thinking about the fact that a lot of these prisoner's will one day be
released, then i think an interest in politic's and community issues should
be encouraged.

Otherwise you make the 'them' and 'us' gap even wider.  People who feel
a part of their community and actively play a part in it's decision process
are surely less likely to want to cause harm to that community.

Just my thought's.

People are responsible for their own actions, its time to stop mothering society.  They should feel so ashamed of their crimes, that they are hell bent on turning their life's around, and fitting back in with society.

Yeah repent you lot for not paying your TV licence!   -    cus that is what prison is clogged up with i am afraid,  people who commit petty crimes  -  people who didn't buy
a TV license,  people who didn't pay their 'council tax' and people who didn't pay fines!!!  Prison should only be an option if they pose a danger to the public. 

Are they still real bastards on that over there? I remember watching a news program on the enforcement of that law the police had directional antennas and would look for the TV's IF signal and bust the people.  The entire prison system and going to jail for nonviolent crimes needs to be overhauled I would consider this a separate issue that desperately needs to be addressed 

Yes definately.  Agreed.   The BBC and it's poxy licence fee is a joke.

[midlifeaspie]

In a country where we routinely have elections that are decided by a percentage point or less and keeps 1% of its population in jail, it seems like a good way to force politicians to reduce the number of people kept locked up to give those prisoners a vote.

[benjimanbreeg]

imo if you commit a crime bad enough to deserve to be locked away, then you forfeit your rights


Basic human rights, yeah

But the right to participate in a society whose rules you refuse to follow? If you can't contribute to society then you can't claim to have the same rights others have

and by contribute to society I don't mean with money or anything, but by simply being a decent law-abiding person

Would you say the same thing about a political prisoner, or someone who was wrongfully convicted?

I said someone who deserves to be locked up, someone who deserves it in my opinion

What kind of crimes deserve that sort of punishment is a whole other issue

obviously if someone is wrongly convicted then they should be able to vote, but if they're wrongly convicted then they are no longer is prison so that's irrelevant. unless you mean at a time when it's unknown that they are innocent, then it is assumed then that they arae guilty, so again not relevant

Your system unnecessarily restricts the rights of prisoners. Why shouldn't they be able to vote?

Why don't people like you stop worrying about the criminals and take a little time out to think of the victim, or the victim's families who might have a life sentence of pain, without their loved ones?  Maybe if we stopped trying to make prison into some 5 star hotel, it might put people off committing crimes.

In the US a very large percentage of "criminals" have committed victim-less crimes, mostly drug related.

They broke the law, its their own fault for getting caught.

[benjimanbreeg]

I also dislike the prison system.

I think too many petty criminals come out of prison with much bigger idea's.

I think the idea behind prison is not just solely as a punishment.  I think
rehabilitation is also a factor  (or at least meant to be)

Thinking about the fact that a lot of these prisoner's will one day be
released, then i think an interest in politic's and community issues should
be encouraged.

Otherwise you make the 'them' and 'us' gap even wider.  People who feel
a part of their community and actively play a part in it's decision process
are surely less likely to want to cause harm to that community.

Just my thought's.

People are responsible for their own actions, its time to stop mothering society.  They should feel so ashamed of their crimes, that they are hell bent on turning their life's around, and fitting back in with society.

Yeah repent you lot for not paying your TV licence!   -    cus that is what prison is clogged up with i am afraid,  people who commit petty crimes  -  people who didn't buy
a TV license,  people who didn't pay their 'council tax' and people who didn't pay fines!!!  Prison should only be an option if they pose a danger to the public. 

Right, and cause prison is full of people like that, they let thugs off with a public order offense and a warning.  I agree though, those people should just do community service.

[midlifeaspie]

imo if you commit a crime bad enough to deserve to be locked away, then you forfeit your rights


Basic human rights, yeah

But the right to participate in a society whose rules you refuse to follow? If you can't contribute to society then you can't claim to have the same rights others have

and by contribute to society I don't mean with money or anything, but by simply being a decent law-abiding person

Would you say the same thing about a political prisoner, or someone who was wrongfully convicted?

I said someone who deserves to be locked up, someone who deserves it in my opinion

What kind of crimes deserve that sort of punishment is a whole other issue

obviously if someone is wrongly convicted then they should be able to vote, but if they're wrongly convicted then they are no longer is prison so that's irrelevant. unless you mean at a time when it's unknown that they are innocent, then it is assumed then that they arae guilty, so again not relevant

Your system unnecessarily restricts the rights of prisoners. Why shouldn't they be able to vote?

Why don't people like you stop worrying about the criminals and take a little time out to think of the victim, or the victim's families who might have a life sentence of pain, without their loved ones?  Maybe if we stopped trying to make prison into some 5 star hotel, it might put people off committing crimes.

In the US a very large percentage of "criminals" have committed victim-less crimes, mostly drug related.

They broke the law, its their own fault for getting caught.

What if tomorrow they passed a new law in your country that made it illegal to be a douchebag?  Since you have already achieved this distinction you would immediately be arrested and thrown in jail.  Is that your fault for not leaving the country?

[benjimanbreeg]

You don't make the laws, thats just your opinion of me.  I work hard and help society.  If the goverment had a choice of locking me or you up, you'd be chosen hands down.

[midlifeaspie]

If the goverment had a choice of locking me or you up, you'd be chosen hands down.

And what is that based on?  Cause I am mean to you?  We aren't even accountable to the same government Benji 

[ZEGH8578]

you can get prison for anything.
too many parking violations, no ability to pay for them = prisontime

voting is for everybody.
either we play democracy, or we play something else.

[Semicolon]

If the goverment had a choice of locking me or you up, you'd be chosen hands down.

And what is that based on?  Cause I am mean to you?  We aren't even accountable to the same government Benji 

We are all accountable to Callousway and her evil whims.

[renaeden]

When I was in psychiatric hospital in 2005/6  I got out of voting in the state election somehow. When I got out of hospital, I was like, "Who is that guy?" when I saw a picture of the new Premier of WA.

[benjimanbreeg]

If the goverment had a choice of locking me or you up, you'd be chosen hands down.

And what is that based on?  Cause I am mean to you?  We aren't even accountable to the same government Benji 

They'd still rather bring you over and put you in our slammer 

[midlifeaspie]

If the goverment had a choice of locking me or you up, you'd be chosen hands down.

And what is that based on?  Cause I am mean to you?  We aren't even accountable to the same government Benji 

They'd still rather bring you over and put you in our slammer 

That makes a lot of sense.  Thanks for clearing that up. 

[benjimanbreeg]

You know me, all you have to do is ask 

[TheoK]

In Sweden prisoners are allowed to vote.

[Adam]

imo if you commit a crime bad enough to deserve to be locked away, then you forfeit your rights


Basic human rights, yeah

But the right to participate in a society whose rules you refuse to follow? If you can't contribute to society then you can't claim to have the same rights others have

and by contribute to society I don't mean with money or anything, but by simply being a decent law-abiding person

I would say I have changed my mind on this. I'm not so sure now. I still agree with much of what I said above, but now I think I'd class the right to vote as one of those rights which should be kept by prisoners, other than the criminally insane. They are still British citizens and should be represented  imo

Also I doubt many of them would vote Tory