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.

[Semicolon]

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.

[Enos]

If you go to prison and you still have the same basic human rights and privileges of society, then it isn't a prison. The whole point of prison is to punish people who did nothing but disrupt others, which is done by restricting freedoms that we take for granted as citizens. If you give prisoners more freedoms, IMO then they might aswell be not in prison, but at a holiday resort that wastes tax money.

EDIT: Prison is so comfy to some people that they deliberately commit crimes in order to have better living conditions.

That's quite common in repeat criminals I've heard, they just commit loads of small crimes so they can get an extra year or so in prison. It's like prison becomes their only home because when they're released they are homeless and their family don't want to know them anymore. Kind of a sad situation to be in to keep deliberately committing crime just to get into jail.

[ProfessorFarnsworth]

If you go to prison and you still have the same basic human rights and privileges of society, then it isn't a prison. The whole point of prison is to punish people who did nothing but disrupt others, which is done by restricting freedoms that we take for granted as citizens. If you give prisoners more freedoms, IMO then they might aswell be not in prison, but at a holiday resort that wastes tax money.

EDIT: Prison is so comfy to some people that they deliberately commit crimes in order to have better living conditions.

Well if you're homeless and you know that prison provides the necessities as well as primitive luxuries, then who wouldn't take the risk of being beaten, raped or tortured by other inmates for free accommodation? The same could happen on the streets one night by thugs.

[Parts]

So is freedom but that is taken away from prisoners also.  Being a prisoner means giving up certain rights as a citizen.

No; it means restricting certain rights to protect society as a whole. Prisoners give up their right to freedom of movement because it would be dangerous to society to let them move about (and it would ruin the basis of prison as a punishment, which also harms society); they give up their right to own guns because it would be dangerous to allow prisoners to own guns; etc. There should be a reason for why any right is ever restricted. Why should prisoners give up the right to vote?

Because they are being punished and being punished means giving up certain privileges of citizenship.  I agree that there are way too many people in prison who should not be there and it does need reform but it is indeed punishment.  As part of the punishment for having to be removed from society you should give up your right to fully participate.  Until recently felons in many states lost their right to vote even after getting out of prison but this is changing but had been up held as constitutional in the US.  I feel once their sentence is complete they should get their right to vote back but while they are in jail no.  

[Callaway]

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.

You make some good points.

On the other hand, it could be difficult to set up a voting booth in prison without it becoming a security risk.

I think that people should get their voting rights back when they get out of prison, but I'm not sure they should have the same rights while they are in prison.

[Semicolon]

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.

You make some good points.

On the other hand, it could be difficult to set up a voting booth in prison without it becoming a security risk.

I think that people should get their voting rights back when they get out of prison, but I'm not sure they should have the same rights while they are in prison.

Why not hand prisoners paper and a writing utensil, then watch as they record their votes? Prisoners already have jobs, receive visitors, eat, write letters, etc. Practically speaking, a system could be set up that would allow prisoners to vote without decreasing security.

So is freedom but that is taken away from prisoners also.  Being a prisoner means giving up certain rights as a citizen.

No; it means restricting certain rights to protect society as a whole. Prisoners give up their right to freedom of movement because it would be dangerous to society to let them move about (and it would ruin the basis of prison as a punishment, which also harms society); they give up their right to own guns because it would be dangerous to allow prisoners to own guns; etc. There should be a reason for why any right is ever restricted. Why should prisoners give up the right to vote?

Because they are being punished and being punished means giving up certain privileges of citizenship.  I agree that there are way too many people in prison who should not be there and it does need reform but it is indeed punishment.  As part of the punishment for having to be removed from society you should give up your right to fully participate.  Until recently felons in many states lost their right to vote even after getting out of prison but this is changing but had been up held as constitutional in the US.  I feel once their sentence is complete they should get their right to vote back but while they are in jail no.   

Voting is a right, not a privilege. Everyone of legal age should have the right to vote, and any restriction of that right should be justified by a direct benefit provided to society. Prisoners aren't fully participating in society because they're in prison, not in the community. Prisoners are in prison because they have been judged to have committed a crime, and they have been given due process and the chance to defend themselves in court. It is necessary to seclude them because they are actively dangerous to society: they will continue to commit crimes if allowed to roam about in the community. Prison should also rehabilitate prisoners to enable them to function in society without committing crimes. Prison also serves as a deterrent, but this is secondary to the other two goals. Restricting voting rights does not add to the likelihood of achieving any of the three goals (except, perhaps, to provide a minimal deterrent value). Prisoners are still citizens, and they deserve the benefits of citizenship (assuming that they were citizens to begin with).

[Parts]

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.

You make some good points.

On the other hand, it could be difficult to set up a voting booth in prison without it becoming a security risk.

I think that people should get their voting rights back when they get out of prison, but I'm not sure they should have the same rights while they are in prison.

Why not hand prisoners paper and a writing utensil, then watch as they record their votes? Prisoners already have jobs, receive visitors, eat, write letters, etc. Practically speaking, a system could be set up that would allow prisoners to vote without decreasing security.

So is freedom but that is taken away from prisoners also.  Being a prisoner means giving up certain rights as a citizen.

No; it means restricting certain rights to protect society as a whole. Prisoners give up their right to freedom of movement because it would be dangerous to society to let them move about (and it would ruin the basis of prison as a punishment, which also harms society); they give up their right to own guns because it would be dangerous to allow prisoners to own guns; etc. There should be a reason for why any right is ever restricted. Why should prisoners give up the right to vote?

Because they are being punished and being punished means giving up certain privileges of citizenship.  I agree that there are way too many people in prison who should not be there and it does need reform but it is indeed punishment.  As part of the punishment for having to be removed from society you should give up your right to fully participate.  Until recently felons in many states lost their right to vote even after getting out of prison but this is changing but had been up held as constitutional in the US.  I feel once their sentence is complete they should get their right to vote back but while they are in jail no.   

Voting is a right, not a privilege. Everyone of legal age should have the right to vote, and any restriction of that right should be justified by a direct benefit provided to society. Prisoners aren't fully participating in society because they're in prison, not in the community. Prisoners are in prison because they have been judged to have committed a crime, and they have been given due process and the chance to defend themselves in court. It is necessary to seclude them because they are actively dangerous to society: they will continue to commit crimes if allowed to roam about in the community. Prison should also rehabilitate prisoners to enable them to function in society without committing crimes. Prison also serves as a deterrent, but this is secondary to the other two goals. Restricting voting rights does not add to the likelihood of achieving any of the three goals (except, perhaps, to provide a minimal deterrent value). Prisoners are still citizens, and they deserve the benefits of citizenship (assuming that they were citizens to begin with).

Sorry not a privilege but  a right of citizenship you are correct but as prisoners I feel they should lose that until they have paid for their crimes.  As for the goings on in prisons and how they should be treated that is a topic for another thread.  I feel the same way about it being for rehabilitation and think the whole system needs an overhaul. 

[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.

[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.

[Queen Victoria]

Well, if voting is a basic right then why shouldn't illegal aliens be allowed to vote?  Why shouldn't I request a mail ballot and vote in the elections in France? 

If prisoners are allowed a vote:

I'm not sure all that many would be interested in voting.
I'm guessing that prisons aren't usually physically located in towns so their votes on city/town elections would be minimal.  They might have a slight effect on county/parish elections, almost no effect on state or national elections.

[Semicolon]

Well, if voting is a basic right then why shouldn't illegal aliens be allowed to vote?  Why shouldn't I request a mail ballot and vote in the elections in France? 

If prisoners are allowed a vote:

I'm not sure all that many would be interested in voting.
I'm guessing that prisons aren't usually physically located in towns so their votes on city/town elections would be minimal.  They might have a slight effect on county/parish elections, almost no effect on state or national elections.

I am assuming that the prisoners would otherwise be allowed to vote in the elections. You are twisting the issue.

It doesn't matter what the effect would be on elections. What matters is that "one person, one vote" is a fundamental principle of this country. Because of the electoral college, the votes of many citizens do not matter in presidential elections because of what state they reside in. Should their right to vote be restricted because the result is a foregone conclusion?

The question shouldn't be whether prisoners should be allowed to vote. The question should be whether there is sufficient cause to restrict prisoners from voting.

[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.

[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. 

[Parts]

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