It's Time to Let Felons Vote, Holder Says - NBC News

They can't vote, but illegal immigrants can.

Easy answer for me,,,,,they lose their right to vote forever............but then I dont believe they should get cable TV and internet in prison.

I agree, there should be a probationary time frame. If during that time frame, you keep your nose clean, than you should get your voting rights back.

 

I like this idea.

 

I know of a guy from my county who was convicted of sitting the woods on fire when he was a young man. Although he said he was innocent he was still convicted. He served several years, got out of prison, got married, had children, worked and made a living.....but he couldn't vote or go hunting because of his charges. Finally, when he was in his early 60's and his children graduated from school and moved away, he was pardoned by the governor after several people from the county wrote letters on his behalf. Probably one factor that had to help him was that the only thing he had ever been charged with in his life was that one charge that he was sent to prison for. I didn't know him personally but after talking to one of the men who wrote a letter to the governor, I felt sympathy for him not being able to hunt because he wasn't permitted, as a felon, to have a gun. And he couldn't vote.

I think felony charges should be weighed according to their severity. I'm not going to list a bunch of examples but some felony convictions are not on the same level with others. After a period of time, a probation period, a panel of judicial officials should review cases and determine if the rights and privileges should be restored.

I've always thought a good way to handle this is you get your rights back after you are released and become an upstanding citizen for as many years as your prison term. For example, if you were sentenced to 8 years in prison, you serve out the time and then you have to stay out of trouble for 8 more and then rights reinstated. Hopefully that makes sense.

Can they earn their right back to carry a weapon as well?

Can they earn their right back to carry a weapon as well?

 

No. Reinstatement of civil rights allows them to vote and run for public office. Odd one huh ?

You may want to spend some more time in court….many are getting hit hard first time regardless due to political pressure.

 

I've spent a ton of time in court, a lot get convictions the first time but it in most cases for a lesser offense and in most cases a misdemeanor not a felony conviction.

 

Biggest pressure right now is to not send anyone to prison due to the cost. I know probation and parole officers that say there is more pressure on them if they revoke someone and send them back to prison for a violation of their parole/probation than if they send no one back due to the expense of incarceration to the state.