Felons: Democracy and Equal Protection Clause

Coleman Wahlborg Richard English IV, 1A 9 September 2011 Felons and ballot This year 5. 3 billion battalion will be un able-bodied to pick out not because they atomic number 18 mentally unable, not because they be underage, but because they atomic number 18 felons and ex-felons (Holding, 2006). Ex-felons atomic number 18 people who committed a felony and hold up served their punishment, dictated by the judiciary transcription, and argon living in the community. When previous convicts ar released from prison they argon considered citizens again. macrocosm a citizen, whizz is promised current mightys and responsibilities.As an ex felon one is a free citizen who can exercises the disciplines and responsibilities granted by the Constitution of the fall in States of America. Since former felons suck in earned their even ups back shouldnt this include balloting? Whether ex-felons should be able to select or not is a very(prenominal) popular bring on among people. The two sides in the issue can be fairly biased. Some people might know felons that they think should be able to take and early(a)s are on the other side of the argument. However, enquiry says that there are several reasons wherefore ex-felons should and shouldnt be able to vote.The Fourteenth Amendment states, no state shall make or enforce all constabulary which shall abridge the privileges or the immunities of citizens in the unite States. This law sets by that citizens gather in privileges and no one has the right to deprive citizens of these privileges. Current felons are not members of society, but previous felons civic rights are restored when they complete their sentence. Denying ex-felons the right to vote abolishes their rights (Krajick, 2004). Only two states allow current felons to vote, and ten states for good prohibit former felons from balloting (Zotti, 2000).This means that people who used low-down judgment in the past, paid their debt to society, and we re released from tuck in, are still being penalise and shunned from being normal everyday citizens. Prohibiting ex-felon voting is not only a punishment to them, but also to society (Should felons be allowed to vote, 2008). The people of United States will be fortunate if 40% of eligible voters cast a ballot for the next presidential election (Holding, 2006). Instead of prohibiting felon voting, we should dominate it (Holding, 2006).We should be finding ways to get people to the polls, not safekeeping them away. Ex-felons who are de manure to return to their ways are not going to be interested in having a voice in the organization. Individuals who are not already deterred from crime by the threat of confinement are not likely to be swayed by the prospect of losing their right to vote (Mauer, 2004). Individuals who invite changed are the ones that want to vote, and the ones who comport not changed will more or less likely wind up in the criminal justice system again Voting is not a privilege it is the basic right that defines a citizen.Those denied it are, in effect, stateless people without a body politic (Krajick, 2004). Voting is a right that defines a citizen in the since of when a person votes they are considered responsible and knowledgeable for not just complaining about the organisation but casting a vote to try to change things. When one does not vote, and is disconnected from the government in which they live, and they are stateless because they have no control over decisions that are made.The efforts to block ex-felons from voting makes those individuals smell more detached from society, which increases the chance that they will continue to break the law (Williams, 2010). Past felons feel they cannot get involved in their government because they are glowering away, which essentially leads so many ex-felons to resort to their old ways. In 2000, the Alexander v. Mineta Supreme court case that dealt with the Equal Protection clause came to the conclusion The Equal Protection Clause does not protect the right of all citizens to vote, but rather the right of all qualified citizens to vote. However, the ordinal Amendment prohibits excessive sanctions, and demands that punishment for crimes should be graduated and proportioned to the offense (Karlan, 2004). therefore, felons who are released from jail have been punished for their crime more punishment on their part is inhumane of society. The states that continue to exclude all felons permanently are outliers, at bottom the United States and the world (Karlan, 2004). People who argue that ex felons should not have the right to vote believe that they have presented hapless judgment and it is besotted to let them help in he choosing of our representatives (Carlson, 2006). This is agreeable to a certain extent, but when one takes a deeper look, the harsh answer is former convicts are stereotyped by most people. While these previous felons have presented little judgme nt in the past, who is to say they will never change (Chapman, 2006)? The government lets ex-convicts marry, have children, drive and have the freedom of religion. In many homes, the assumption is that ex-felons cannot be trusted to help choose our leader.If we thought criminals could never be reformed, we would never let them out in the first place (Chapman, 2006). There are many reasons why felons should be able to take place in the voting system however there are reasons why they shouldnt be able to. Felons become felons by presenting an act of poor judgment in most cases. Felons cannot vote for similar reasons that children cant vote. We dont let children vote, for instance, or noncitizens, or the mentally incompetent. wherefore? Because we dont trust them and their judgment.We have different reasons for not trusting them, but it seems to me that that is their common denominator (Clegg, 2004). People who have committed crimes in their life have already shown us that they are not trustworthy people (Clegg, 2004). And, as to equity, if youre not willing to watch out the rules yourself, you shouldnt be able to make the rules for everyone else (Clegg, 2004). Because voting determines in the long get out who will make the rules for our country, there is no reason why the country should allow people who cant follow the rules, vote on the rules. Now, I will freely concede that there are felons who ought to have their right to vote restored, but that should be done on a case-by-case basis, weighing (a) how serious the crime was, (b) how recently it was committed, (c) whether there has been a series/pattern of crimes, and (d) whether the individual has otherwise shown that he or she has turned his or her life around (Clegg, 2004). Clegg states that not all felons are in the same category. It is understandable that murderers should not be allowed to vote. On the other hand, some people really have gone through a long process to change their life around for the better. The right to vote is not granted to those under the age of eighteen. That age limitation demonstrates that voting rights may be restricted when there is reason to doubt the electric potential voters good judgment (Latham, 2006). Latham shares similar ideas to Clegg on how the age limitation on voting and whether felons should be able to vote are connected due to prior judgment or drop there of. The interests of convicted felons might also differ from the primary interest of the American citizen body who want to be protected from criminals (Latham, 2006).A primary issue for the convicted felons as a whole is that 2/3 of felons released commit crimes within the next three years not counting the ones that were not caught. Holding, Reynolds. wherefore Cant Felons Vote? TIME. Breaking countersign, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews TIME. com. 1 Nov. 2006. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. Krajick, Kevin. Why Cant Ex-Felons Vote? (washingtonpost. com). Wahlborg 2 The Washington Post National, World & D. C. Area News and Headlines The Washington Post. 18 Aug. 2004. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. http//www. washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/articles/A9785- 2004Aug17. html