Should ex-felons have the right to vote?

[daylily]

This is something I hadn't given much thought to until reading an essay in our paper.
http://www.readthehook.com/stories/2...tWhyExcon.html

... So, someone like Trey Gregory a Virginia man who was convicted of Consensual Sodomy in 1997 after admitting he'd had oral sex with his ex-girlfriend is banned from the ballot box for life, in addition to being blocked from buying a gun.
<snip>
The combined laws have created the democratic world's largest pool of adult citizens living under a system of taxation without representation.

"In the 2000 presidential election, more than 4.6 million Americans were barred from voting because of felon disenfranchisement laws across the country," professor/advocates Christopher Uggen and Jeff Manza, authors of several studies and articles on the issue, wrote in the Los Angeles Times last week. "Of those, 35 percent had already served their time."

<snip>
Because felons skew black (an estimated 13 percent of the black population nationwide, and an incredible 30-plus percent in Florida, can't vote), and because blacks lean 90 percent Democratic, we can assume that most new voters wouldn't celebrate their re-enfranchisement by plumping for George Bush.

[Hilary Briss]

I think it's absurd that an ex-felon would be denied the right to vote. It's not sufficient to deprive someone of their right to freedom of movement, and bar them from holding certain kinds of jobs because they were a felon? They should at least get their voting privileges back. Don't these people need to be rehabilitated, not ostracized?

[TiredX2]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes & Definately.

People should not recieve a life-long punishment *and* virtual banishment for a felony. As soon as they are out of jail they should have the full rights & responsibilities of any other adult citizen (with obvious exclusions of child contact for pedophiles, etc...)--- including, perhaps most importantly, the vote.

Kay

[TiredX2]

Hey "no's" tell us your reasoning!!!

Kay

[SarahGuinn]

If we hope for rehabilitation we can't treat those that have done their time as sub-citizens.

Why change if there's little to nothing in the way of chances, opportunities, etc, once you're out?

I voted yes, btw.

[Delilah]

I am first concerned over what is

"a felony", that is, the consensual sex!

I think there are some rights that should be lost after a felony conviction, perhaps holding certain levels of public office. And some jobs will not be available depending on the nature of the crime, whether the job requires bonding, etc.

But I wonder if we don't go too far in denying a rehabilitated felon the right to vote. Such an action disenfranchises a person from public interest in events, and that is a shame.

[PurplePixiePooh]

T

But I gotta ask, oral sex is considered a criminal act??? HUH? Besides how did the case get proven, were there pictures or some such nonsense? Hey regardless of wether oral sex is your cup of tea or not, it certainly is not a crime for goodness sake!

Back on topic,
IMO, rehabilitation cannot truly be done in a penal facility! I think that barring murder, rape, pedophiles etc...most of the criminals could really be rehabilitated by sending them to a place (although non yet exist) where their *issues* can be delt with, valuble skills learned, coping skills aquired and basicly they would be taught how to NOT be a criminal, and then once finished with the program it should be kept strictly confidential and then there would be no discrimination when looking for a job and assuming that the program worked no repeat offenders. It would not be 100% but I am willing to bet that the success rate would be a heck of alto better than our prisions are having!

So all that to say, no they should not have their voting privildges revoked.

*steps off soapbox*

[sadie_sabot]

Not only does revoking voting rights clash with the concept of rehabilitation, there's also the sad truth that, in the US, justice is not blind; not blind to race or class, and the vast majority of people who are disenfranchised this way are poor people and people of color.

I find this really scary; sometimes I think we are headed toward a caste system, or an even more clearly defined class system. Or maybe a feudal system? kings and peasants?

Once upon a time in the USA, you could only vote if you owned property. wonder if that's where we're headed.

sorry to ramble and so cynically...

[Sustainer]

I know two women who have been arrested on a felony charge for having consensual sex with their respective partners (one man, one woman) who were technically under the age limit but obviously capable of consent.

A lot of minorities are convicted of non-violent drug offenses, and I'm sure there are many people who would like to keep them from voting.

[somemama]

Yes, they should be able to vote. It's not like votes count, anyway! : (See the last pres. election for proof).