General Chat

a good point Lady in Red, I am an expat and I no longer vote in the UK. That doean't mean I am not interested in my country of birth. Those who vote still in the UK do still live part of the year there, or at least own properties that contribute to the UK economy, same as a Dane who owns a UK property that gives them a right to vote

George if the UK held the worlds worst man in their cells, would you advocate that he had tele and a vote, or would you call for his death . Each case has it's own rights and wrongs. So there is times that you have to trust those that you put into power to be right ...or act

I don't think we are talking about political prisoners.
We're talking about those who have removed the right of their victims to feel safe in their own homes; feel safe talking to strangers; feel safe walking down the road.
We're talking about rapists who removed the right of a woman/man/child to have a decent relationship; paedophiles who denied a child the right to an innocent childhood.
Don't forget those who have lost the right to life, a child, a husband, a brother, a sister a wife, a father, a mother, and the affect on their families.
I could go on, but you get the drift. Who's rights do we focus on first?

Maggie you have that right ..we are talking about about those who removed from others ... the rapist etc what rights do they deserve ..
So back to the question NO to votes in prison

Seeing my views on whether or not prisoners should have the right to vote, you might be surprised that I would also agree with everything George says, EXCEPT that one thing.

The right to vote is just that, a right...within society. When you are removed from society, those rights are forfeited. Now I am not talking about basic human rights, I hate the idea of prison overcrowding, slopping out and general degradation. They do still have the human right to have the basic necessities to live and remain healthy and well. That is, fed, clean, and warm, with exercise. AND they have the right to education, which will possible help to give them a chance in life when they get out. (or if they probably won't get out, it can still be put to good use inside.)

But prison should also be a time to reflect on the damage you have done to others within that society, to face up to the crime, to learn that the people you committed the crime against are humans, real people.

My son works for the Prison Fellowship http://www.prisonfellowship.org.uk/ He deals regularly with inmates face to face, and helps them reconcile their actions and the effect on the victims of their crimes. I've spoken to him on this topic, and even he agrees, while serving a sentence, they should not vote in a local, council or parliamentary election. Why should a convicted murderer have a say in how society is run? A society from which he has been removed from by a court of law.