Reason why Convicts Should not be Allowed to Vote

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Murderers, rapists, and those convicted with aggravated assault, have obviously not made wise decisions in their lives, yet they are allowed to vote. According to www.felonvoting.procon.org, currently, in Michigan, individuals who have been convicted of a felon are allowed to vote after their term of incarceration. Some think that those who have a felony from a violent crime should not be able to vote, regardless if they have completed their sentence or not. However, other people think that even though an individual with a violent felony may vote after their incarceration period; although, in some states, the felon may have to wait a certain amount of years before they are able to vote. I think that people with violent felonies such as murder, rape, aggravated assault, or battery should not be able to vote whatsoever.

Out of the United States of America, Michigan ranks #6 in having the most violent crimes. Some violent felonies include: murders, rapes, aggravated assault, battery, vehicular homicide, etc. According to publisher, Scripps Howard in his publication Felon Voting Laws states that in Michigan along with thirty-three other states prohibit felons from voting while in prison or on parole; but felons are allowed to vote after completing parole or being released from prison (Howard). I think that people in Michigan with violent felonies should not be allowed to vote, like Alabama and eleven other states. In an article written by Michael McLaughlin, Felon Voting Laws Disenfranchise5.85 Million Americans With Criminal Records: The Sentencing Project, from the Huffington Post, it says that not allowing people with violent felonies to vote hurts African Americans more than other races, saying that 7% are African Americans tha...

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...1 Jan. 2014.

"Felons." Proquest. Gannett Co., Inc., 3 Mar. 2004. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.

The Monitor's View. "Voting Rights for Ex-Felons: [ALL Edition]." Editorial. [Boston, Massachusetts] 1 Mar. 2005: n. pag. Proquest. The Christian Science Monitor. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.

The Washington Times. "No Felon Voting." The Washington Times. The Washington Times LLC, 13 Feb. 2006. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.

Haygood, Ryan Paul. "Free To Vote." Proquest. Atlanta Inquirer, 26 June 2004. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.

Violent Crime Up, Property Crime Down." FBI. FBI, 16 Sept. 2013. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.

"State Felon Voting Laws." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

McLaughlin, Michael. "Felon Voting Laws Disenfranchise 5.85 Million Americans With Criminal Records: The Sentencing Project." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 12 July 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

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