The amendments prohibited all prisoners who were serving a sentence of imprisonment for a commonwealth, state or territory offence from voting in federal elections. Before
Without a serious punishment, these people are more likely to repeat their crimes. Heather Kramer and Otis Newton, who write for the Lakeside Publishing Group, believe that disenfranchisement is a necessary measure against convicted felons, as these criminals have failed to comply with the very document that provides them with many freedoms. This article hopes to attract the attention of the general
This is certainly a conflicting issue. While it is fair to value the welfare of law abiding citizens over the welfare of convicted felons, placing restricting on felons presents the issue of those felons lacking the ability to become a contributing member of society. Like you mentioned, that can provide the push needed for them to return to crime rather than working towards a steady life of their own. Further research into the costs and benefits of such restrictions is necessary to determine whether these types of restrictions actually do benefit society overall like they intend to.
United States citizens with a criminal background should be allowed to vote in their state of residency Ontreal Harris Professor Ross Composition II Reference Shaw, Jerry. “When Did Ex-Felons Lose Their Rights to Vote? A History.” Newsmax. Newsmax Media, Inc.
The removal of this right dehumanizes prisoners. The streets of Texas are filled with blue or white collar criminals on bail or simply waiting for their sentence. Presently, if individual are found guilty of a crime, but they are not given a judicial sentence they are still allowed to vote; why should there be treated differently from convicted criminals who are locked up? However, allowing prisoners to vote while in prison would increase voting turnout and also Texas would gain the reputation of becoming one of the two states that allow prisoners to vote while in prison.
Finally, my last suggestion would be to alter the labels of ex-felonies for minor violations, and changing how to use the criminal check box. Once an ex-convict paid for their time in prison for inferior crimes we should not label then as a felon, so that they can apply for jobs and do not have to check on the felony box when applying for a job. Consequently, ex-convict could get a better chance to be hired, so that they truly have a chance to readjust in the society. People that who are labeled as a felon have a hard time applying for jobs, housings, and getting food stamps, making it impossible to survive and to provide for their family. They can lose their kids, their home, and become homeless and in other cases going back to jail.
Voter ID laws are two sided, but most Americans feel that it is necessary to prevent voter fraud. Republicans feel that an individual should already have a state ID because this is required by so many government agencies. Unfortunately, the Democrats are the ones to be most likely affected due to their voters’ economic status, disabilities and age. Whereas, Democrats believe that it is a tactic to defer their supporters from voting.
Many speculations are made when it comes to allowing ex-felons or felons to vote. Felons should have the right to vote because everyone’s vote counts when it comes to electing a new president for the country. Felons are a part of the country they should be permitted to vote all the least. To some, felons or ex-felons should not be allowed the right to vote. This is because many people believe that felons have gone against their own country and defiled their country’s name.
This consequently causes their peers to believe that these people should not be given the trust to vote on such widespread, controversial issues. Now, although the people with these concerns make a valid and alarming point they fail to understand that voting not only helps instill a sense of responsibility within prior-felons lives but it also helps with their rehabilitation process as well, targeting the psychological aspect of helping these men and women succeed. Christopher Uggen, professor of sociology and law at the university of Minnesota asserts in the article “Why should felons vote” that “ if those who argue that people with felony convictions shouldn 't be allowed to vote because they are untrustworthy in character . . . should we exclude admitted racists or, taking that argument even further, perhaps people who
By releasing them it would take out a lot of weight and work that the prison has to do. It would also give the prisoners a chance to enjoy life after a long time in prison. It is very sad that they were in prison for a long time and they just sat there and saw their life wasting away slowly and slowly. Also, with all that weight and work out they could focus on rehabilitating and helping other prisoners. That could greatly impact the prison and it could change a lot of life’s for the better.
Ex felons having their voting rights cannot personally harm anybody. Their vote is one vote against the other millions of the American population, restoration of ex felon voting rights is not going to make anything any worse for anybody. They just deserve the same voting rights as anybody else in the country. The only way to show that is to give the felons a second chance, everybody else in a functioning society receives second chances, so why are ex felons confined to one single chance? This shows inequality in our justice system and that is not the proper way to reintroduce ex felons into a normal functioning society.
Unfortunately, there are racial disparities in the United States in the legal system. Prison sentences imposed on African American males in the federal system are nearly 20 percent longer than white males convicted of similar crimes. The 1994 Crime Bill signed by President Clinton established mandatory minimum sentences. African American and Latino offenders sentenced in state and federal courts face greater odds of incarceration than white offenders who are in similar situations and receive longer sentences than whites in some jurisdictions. Research has shown that race plays a significant role in determination on which homicide cases resulted in death sentences.
There are many reasons why people get convicted of crimes, and even more varieties in the sentencings of those crimes. Another category to consider are those who have committed a crime and recieve an alternative punishment to that crime, outside the norm. Juries listen to circumstances and must determine a fair and appropriate sentencing for individuals with unique situations; specifically when a person commits an unlawful act and is exempt criminally. Reasons of mental insanity, when a person is not mentally capable of knowing what they are doing, and self-defence, when a person uses a reasonable amount of force to eliminate a threat, are the two main justifications used before juries. Mental insanity can be defined in many different ways,
The judgment of those who have committed serious crimes is not only arguable but untrustworthy. The right to vote should not return to felons upon completing their sentence because, there is no way of knowing if the individual has since improved their character. Ex cons should have to go a certain amount time without committing any sort of crime before voting rights are restored. While some may feel not permitting felons to vote goes against the eighth amendment, not allowing them to vote is in the people’s best
Should voting age be lowered? There has been a lot of discusion on this topic. There are many good points on both sides of this issue. There are many people who support lowering the age to vote. They believe it would improve voter turnout.
