Should prisoners have the right to vote?

[PoppyHoney]

Following the other thread, do you believe prisoners should have the right to vote?

Historically they haven't, but now an EU court has ordered Britain to lift the blanket ban on prisoners voting.

[*Holly*]

No I dont think so, I think if you have broken the law of the land you dont get to influence who sets the laws (in the most simple way).

Having said that, I havent really got a strong opinion on it, but if forced I'd go with the above!

[LibertyGal72]

[Sam]

No chance!

[Adelelee]

No

[Mrs B]

No. Voting gives people the chance to affect what happens in their (free) communities and prisoners aren't exactly part of your average community so don't need a say in how their lives/kids/taxes/councils etc are governed.

[Velvet Chain]

Nope

[Abbie]

No.

You if commit a crime serious enough to be put in prison, then IMO you lose certain rights

[Julesb]

No.

[bluekat]

I think probably not. The argument is that the right to vote is a human right and by not allowing prisoners the vote there is a breach of human rights. Then there is the argument about whether prisoners deserve all the human rights.

Apparently this has been raised by the EU court and prisoners themselves tend to be apathetic on the issue.

[BonnieTyler]

No.

[Chickenlips]

Prison is abut having your liberties taken away, so no I already feel (see my other thread) that prisoners have it too easy.

[Poppopity]

No.

[scatterbrain]

No

[Damsella]

Going against the grain, I don't agree that prisoners should have their right to vote taken away.

I have yet to hear a strong enough, logical argument to change my mind. Saying "they broke the laws of society" doesn't, imo, constitute a strong enough argument. We still feed them, we still take taxes from them, we still house them. Either we exile them completely from society, or we allow them one of the most basic and fundemental democratic rights.

And let's look at why some people are in prison - is a blanket ban really fair?

Also, plenty of people break the laws of society but are given a suspended sentence. Should they have their right to vote taken away as well?

[jamsplat]

Going against the grain, I don't agree that prisoners should have their right to vote taken away.

I have yet to hear a strong enough, logical argument to change my mind. Saying "they broke the laws of society" doesn't, imo, constitute a strong enough argument. We still feed them, we still take taxes from them, we still house them. Either we exile them completely from society, or we allow them one of the most basic and fundemental democratic rights.

And let's look at why some people are in prison - is a blanket ban really fair?

I agree

[Biba]

No I dont think so, I think if you have broken the law of the land you dont get to influence who sets the laws (in the most simple way).

This

[cheeky_biscuit]

60-70% of the population don't care enough to vote so I can't see giving prisoners the right to vote will make any difference.
But I don't know if they should be banned - would it be just for the duration of the sentence or ongoing? And what about other guilty persons, who may have been punished with a fine/community service etc? Would they be allowed to vote?

[Franny]

I don't mind if they have a right to vote either. Lots of crimes are petty anyway (not that that is an excuse) and some of them might be influenced by, for example, the state of the economy and the political decisions that have led up to that. If they can play a positive part in having a say in what goes on in the country, I can't say it is a bad thing even if the difference it makes is only theoretical.

[joanne62]

60-70% of the population don't care enough to vote so I can't see giving prisoners the right to vote will make any difference

WSS