Should Prisoners Be Allowed To Vote?

[Deskdiary]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/oct/29/government-planning-to-allow-some-prisoners-to-vote-european-court-human-rights

If the voting rights remain limited to prisoners with less than a year to serve, then I have no real issue with it (although I do wonder why they can't wait a year), but if the year starts to creep to be two years, and then five and so on, I would object.

There's no suggestion the time period will be amended to include longer term prisoners, but purely for the sake of the argument if it was, I would struggle with the idea of allowing people who have chosen to live outside of society's rules have a say in electing people whose job it is to make those rules.

[scooping]

Yes

[zebo]

No

[Mamyalynne]

Given the general guidelines mentioned in the article linked to - Yes.

[anneasquith]

No.

[hellywelly4]

No

[EDDIE51]

As the scheme is 'Yes'.

[naomi24]

No.

[EDDIE51]

Those who say prisoners should not be allowed to vote presumably are in favor of then being allowed to vote once they leave jail. So how long would you want someone to be out before they were allowed to vote again?
A day, a month, a year , 5 years? Or do you think anyone who has ever been in jail should be barred from voting for life?

[ToraToraTora]

no

[ToraToraTora]

they can vote when they are not on parole eddie, simples.

[ToraToraTora]

TBF though would most criminal lowlives really want a vote anyway?

[maggiebee]

This link was posted on FB. Say here as I said then "I feel prisoners have forfeited their right to vote until they are released."

[jim360]

Bit of a weak point -- the *right* to vote isn't really the same question as the *desire* to.

Anyway, yes. Or No. Depends. I can't say I'm overly fussed either way.

[Pete65]

No.

[EDDIE51]

TTT if they are only out on licence they are not 'free'
I mean after finishing a sentence not out on licence.

[ToraToraTora]

exactly so they are in effect still in jail thus no vote.

[ToraToraTora]

well as the FOCS continually tell us parole/licence is still part of their sentence.

[mikey4444]

No.....a prison sentence is supposed to deprive people of their normal life for a set period, and I count being able to decide how we are governed as part of their sentence.

If they don't want to do the time, then they shouldn't do the crime in the first place.

[Khandro]

Isn't the idea of punishment by imprisonment, that the criminal's normal privileges are denied for a specific period?

[ToraToraTora]

steady khandro/mikey, the right on brigade will be along soon to correct the errors in your thinking!