should prisoners be allowed to vote?

[donnie]

this seems to be a hot topic at the moment; apparently some prisoners in the UK have won a case in the European courts which has decreed that the current ban on voting breaches their human rights.
Not sure where I stand on this - the right to vote is hugely important IMO, but then again I don't feel comfortable with the likes of Sutcliffe or Huntley having a vote.
What do others think?

[LadyCodofCodford]

bet half of them woudlnt ayway

[startingtobehalloweenylover]

i think that when they commit a crime they give up all their "rights" of being in the real world.

so no, i don't think they should be allowed to vote.

prison is supposed to be a punishment... not a bloody holiday camp

[FrightfullyPoshFloss]

God, I read this as pensioners. Bloody hell, was wondering how you could ever justify taking the right away from them! 'Well you know, half of them have dementia, the other half are too frail, it's not worth the cost!'

[HRHQoQ]

hmmm interesting - I think some prisoneres should be allowed to vote - but certainly not those who commited 'serious' crimes IYKWIM. For instance, if there had been an election while that retired vicar was in jail for not paying part of his council tax, I think he should have been allowed to vote. People like Huntley shouldn't.

[colditz]

It does breach their human rights.

It is supposed to.

If we let prisoners vote we may as well let children vote. Neither have self control, or a sense of responsability.

[donnie]

that's how I feel Qoq - it's the serious criminals who have to accept they have no right to do the things ordinary law abiding citizens do. But the trouble is - where and how do you draw the line?

[HRHQoQ]

are people who have been sentenced to community service allowed to vote?

[paolosgirl]

No way. Crikey, with repeat offenders, I'd take more and more of their 'rights' away each time they caused more misery to society and to their victims and ended up in prison, and I'd do more to remind them of their responsibilities.

[GeraldGiraffe]

No.

[Flum]

No, all that spout about 'rights'.

In my opinion rights go hand in hand with responsibilities. if you through your responsibilities out the window your rights fly with them.

Can't stand hearing people spouting off about 'rights' like they are owed something.

[Flum]

throw even

[HRHQoQ]

OI someone answer my question please

do people serving community service still get to vote?

[donnie]

no idea QoQ ! please don't shout at me!!!

[HRHQoQ]

sorry donnie - just felt like I was being ignored

[paolosgirl]

Who said that?

[BlondeinLondon]

Yes they should get to vote

[Tortington]

no no nnnnnno

[magicfarawaytree]

no - def not - there was talk on question time saying prison is about rehabilitating them and therefore they should get the vote, look how many reoffend - blah, blah, blah - obviously if giving them the vote is going to make them go straight give them the vote. It make my heart bleed to hear how hard prison life is.....

[Tortington]

i just think its the ultimate liberty of being free. which defeats the object of being in prison

[HRHQoQ]

can someone please anwer my question......

do people serving community service get to vote???

[Tortington]

i dont know but i would think so

[HRHQoQ]

ok lets just say they are allowed to vote.

How many times do people who should be locked up - get community service - yet they can still vote.

While some people get locked up for less serious things.......and aren't allowed to vote

[Tortington]

yes am seeing your point - however think thats more of a question of the law is an ass

[donnie]

and when you think about the whole 'human rights' thing, it could probably be argued ( and probably will one day) that being imprisoned is a breach of human rights in itself and therefore illegal!
agree with your point custy about it defeating the whole purpose of being inside in the first place.

[SenoraBruja]

yes, some, if not all prisoners should be able to vote. It hardly stops prison from being a punishment - "oh I'll be able to vote in prison? fantastic. nothing to stop me from stealing this car then".

Taking away prisoners' liberty in the sense of not letting them go where they like and see who they like when they like, is punishment enough imo. any other stuff just serves to harden any criminals who weren't completely hard before.