Why are EX Felons deprived of citizenship...the right to vote in the Land of the free?

Question

Even the Roman Empire had far reaching citizenship, why are ex felons doomed to ride the ship of no hope, like a century ago......

Answer 1

there is no such thing as an "ex felon". A felon is a felon the second he or she is convicted and until the day they die. I don't mean to sound naive but once you break a certain law you have reneged on your membership dues as a a citizen and there should be long ranging consequences for that. The right to vote is a nice start.

Answer 2

They are not deprived of citizenship.

They can be deprived of the right to vote (and are, to various degrees in 48 states) based on an obscure provision of the 14th Amendment.

Passed in the years following the US Civil War, the provision said that any state which discriminates in the right to vote based on race would lose their representation in Congress.

But, there was a specific exception that allowed the states to discriminate if the person had been convicted ""for participation in rebellion, or other crime".

So, the states reasoned that if they would not be punished for preventing felons and ex-felons from voting, then there was nothing stopping them from doing so, and therefore they should be allowed to.

The Supreme Court bought this logic, in the case of Richardson v. Ramirez, 418 U.S. 24 (1974).

Since then, 48 states have passed laws disenfranchising felons to one degree or another. Some just during the sentence (and parole), some for a fixed or variable period afterward, some permanently.

But they are still citizens. Just citizens who are not entitled to vote.

Answer 3

ex-felon, sounds so republican. I prefer ex-con. scare more people that way ( after all we're just lowlife scum, got what we deserved) I would tell you my story (but you narrowminded sob's won't believe me) so instead, I'll just say, first, we're not deprived of citizenship, we just don't have no more constitutional or civil rights. The "right" to vote, own firearm, operate vehicle, be a Doctor, ect ect... are not "rights" but "privileges" and you can be deprived of "privileges" funny how some wealthy "felons" come out squeaky clean. Martha Stewart, etc.............

Answer 4

Quite frankly because they are not considered productive citizens. They have shown such a disregard for the law of the land that social, economic, and political policy deems them unworthy of the right to vote. I agree with those policies.

By the way, they're still citizens. They just can't vote or carry a firearm. They have forfeited certain rights by their behaviour.

Answer 5

That I know depends on where one lives cause here in Texas one is able to vote once they are off parole and depending on prior history as with everything/ ever-where else. Which should as well be questioned as to why do they get stereo-type for just being of a lower- education, monetary status etc. Compared to such criminal's as those recently on the news such as those officials here in Texas that abused their authority and those juveniles in the TYC [raping,beating them kid's] from the guards to even higher ranking officials to the warden. Now, Govenor Rick Perry has resorted to releasing 90-percent of it's housed prisoners ...

Answer 6

the way I see it, there is the widely used answer, and the categorical answer. The widely used answer is that as quickly as a felon, constantly a felon. they don't desire them to return to society, they choose to bypass away them stripped of what made them voters in the 1st place. in case you knew what penitentiary replaced into like, then you definitely'll understand in the 1st place that it's not for rehab besides, yet it rather is yet another tale. the categorical answer, the only we are hesitant to declare, is that the final public of felons, or people in the device are minorities. The society has observed some thing that for the time of basic terms the U. S. has: harmless and shown to blame, or guilt by way of epidermis shade. As maximum criminals are convicted by way of situation and stereotype, it particularly is easy for the conservatives in place of work to do away with their vote casting rights and on an identical time, as I see with this sort of excellent variety of of the solutions, have people part with them by way of calling it a "crime deterrent". in short, it particularly is the thank you to maintain the to blame to blame and the harmless harmless until eventually shown to blame by way of a courtroom and trial of "friends". P.S. real criminals do not persist with gun rules, regulation abiding voters do. So the certainty that they say they are able to't have a firearm does not say in the event that they do, it rather is the uncommon case of rehabilitation or, maximum frequently, an harmless sufferer of situation. particular, the certainty hurts. :-|

Answer 7

"Freedom isn't free." Would you want a child killer or bank robber to decide on who the next President should be? Losing the right to vote is least of the rights that they deserve to lose. We all pay for the actions of criminals.

Answer 8

They will always be felons...not Ex felons.
They don't deserve the rights and privleges, they commited crimes against the establishment...

Answer 9

Because if felons could vote, they would likely vote one of their own into power. Could you imagine having a child rapist or murder or bank robber being your sheriff or councilman or President?

Answer 10

They should narrow the scope to violent criminals, the predators of society. They certainly deserve to lose their right to vote. They should be glad that is all they lose.