8 ms·

If your crime is so heinous as to come with life-long punishment, you should be in prison for life. If the idea of putting someone in prison for life for a part

by pc86 2y ago

If your crime is so heinous as to come with life-long punishment, you should be in prison for life. If the idea of putting someone in prison for life for a particular crime makes you take pause, perhaps they shouldn't have any life-long punishment for that crime. This includes all Constitutionally-protected rights: voting, gun rights, whatever one you want to pick.

like_any_other 2y ago
Conversely, if there are so many prisoners or the disenfranchised that, in a democracy, they can sway elections and drive policy, isn't that a sign there's something wrong with the system, e.g. disenfranchisement and prison is being used as a weapon against parts of the population? Denying them the vote means the system is that much harder to fix. On the other hand, if only those who really deserve it lose their right to vote (i.e. a small fraction of the population), then it doesn't really matter if they can vote or not - their small numbers mean they won't make a difference. But the benefit is that disenfranchisement can no longer be used as a political weapon.
- pc86 2y ago
  You shouldn't be able to vote if you are actively in prison on the day of the election. Or maybe cases like house arrest. But if we say that you're able to be walking around in society with us, including probation/parole, you should have all the rights that others have.
rsynnott 2y ago
It doesn't come with life-long punishment. She's banned from public office for five years (immediate), and jailed for four years (won't come into effect until after the appeal).
- pc86 2y ago
  I'm just talking about felons in the US who have served their time in incarceration and finished parole/probation/supervised release being denied multiple rights for the rest of their lives.
  - throwaway173738 2y ago
    That’s actually up to each state. For example in my home state you can vote once you’ve served your term and any probation.

by pc86 2y ago

like_any_other 2y ago

Conversely, if there are so many prisoners or the disenfranchised that, in a democracy, they can sway elections and drive policy, isn't that a sign there's something wrong with the system, e.g. disenfranchisement and prison is being used as a weapon against parts of the population? Denying them the vote means the system is that much harder to fix. On the other hand, if only those who really deserve it lose their right to vote (i.e. a small fraction of the population), then it doesn't really matter if they can vote or not - their small numbers mean they won't make a difference. But the benefit is that disenfranchisement can no longer be used as a political weapon.

pc86 2y ago
You shouldn't be able to vote if you are actively in prison on the day of the election. Or maybe cases like house arrest. But if we say that you're able to be walking around in society with us, including probation/parole, you should have all the rights that others have.

rsynnott 2y ago

It doesn't come with life-long punishment. She's banned from public office for five years (immediate), and jailed for four years (won't come into effect until after the appeal).

pc86 2y ago
I'm just talking about felons in the US who have served their time in incarceration and finished parole/probation/supervised release being denied multiple rights for the rest of their lives.
- throwaway173738 2y ago
  That’s actually up to each state. For example in my home state you can vote once you’ve served your term and any probation.