Felons and the Right to Vote

Sara Duran-Campos Professor Gould English 111 December 12, 2012 Convicted Felons Should Not Be Allowed to Vote Many Americans were not allowed to vote these past elections. It wasn’t because they didn’t pay taxes or were mentally incompetent or underage. The reason why they can’t vote is because they are convicted felons. Certain states do not give back the right to vote after Ex-convicted felons have paid their debts or completed their time in jail. Some states have a probation period before the ex-felon is allowed to vote.

There are some states that go to the extent to never return the right to vote to felons or ex-felons. The right to vote to felons should be taken away as a form of punishment. After completing their time in jail felons, which now are ex-felons, should have their right to vote restored. A felony is a serious crime usually punishable by imprisonment or death. Felons are people that have been convicted of a crime such as murder, rape, arson, child molest, drug offender and burglary. Virginia is one of many states that takes the right to vote away from felons as a form of punishment.

Maine allows felons to vote even when they are imprisoned. The act of taking away the right to vote from felons and ex-felons is called Disenfranchisement. People that are in favor of disenfranchisement believe that those convicted of a crime have shown poor judgment therefore, proves them unfit to make good decisions when it comes to elections. Some believe that felon disenfranchisement laws also have a big racial impact because certain percent of population have their right to vote taken away more than others.

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Rates of incarceration and sentencing for African-Americans are higher than Caucasians, Latinos, and Native Americans. It seems like a good point but voting requires certain minimum standards of and trustworthiness. Those who have committed serious crimes against their fellow citizens do not meet the standards of voting. Discrimination when sentencing a felon should not be practice in any court. If there is any proof of discrimination the government should that addressed too. Any citizen that does not want their right to vote taken away should not commit a crime.

Voting is and should be a privilege for everyone without discrimination. Voting should not be allowed in prison. Felons are in prison because have not paid their debt yet. They are in the process of doing that. Felons have lost their right of freedom and other civil rights after committing a crime. The right of voting should also be taken away as a form or punishment. The right to vote should be withheld and return after release from prison. Those that support felons right to vote believe that a felon’s debt to society is their time behind bars. They don’t believe that felons should lose their right to vote.

Section 5: Felons should pay Their debt * (Use your evidence to support it) * Comment on how you feel (Don’t use I feel, just say it) about this information in relation to the overall message. * Another point to support what was said in the beginning of the paragraph * Evidence * Comment on this as well * Transition * Section 6: Felons Should Have a Restoration of Vote * The Argument of felons and their right to vote is very important in the United States because many Americans were not allowed to vote this past elections due to being an ex-felon. Comment on how you feel (Don’t use I feel, just say it) about this information in relation to the overall message. * a study suggesting that former offenders who vote are less likely to return to jail. Evidence * Thirty-five states prohibit at least some people from voting after they have been released from prisonTransition * Section 7: Conclusion * Restate thesis * Reiterate your major points * Therefore, it is evident * Strong ending. Works Cited Browne, Sharon, and Roger Clegg. "Felons Have Lost Their Right to Vote. " Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2010. Web. 01 Dec. 2012.

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