Quote:
Originally Posted by Linus
Can someone explain something to me (being Canadian and having a feeling this is some American legalese): am I understanding correctly that VA denies "civil rights" to felons (those who have served their time and are out in public) from the right to vote? Isn't this a constitutional violation (federal) of rights?
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From wiki coz it was an easy first hit:
In modern times, felons can receive punishments which range in severity; from probation, to imprisonment, to execution for premeditated murder or other serious crimes. In the United States felons often face additional consequences, such as the loss of voting rights in many states; exclusion from certain lines of work and difficulty in finding a job in others; prohibition from obtaining certain licences; exclusion from purchase and possession of firearms, ammunition and body armor; and ineligibility to run for, or be elected to, public office. In addition, some states consider a felony conviction to be grounds for an uncontested divorce. All of these losses of privileges, including others noted explicitly by the judge in sentencing, are known as collateral consequences of criminal charges. Finally, if a felon is not a U.S. citizen, that person may be subject to deportation after sentencing is complete.
I may be wrong about this, but to the best of my understanding the right to vote is generally reinstated after a felony sentence has been carried out. That is the only right reinstated ( I think). Although, I do recall a big bruhaha in recent news about a politician winning some race even though he was a convicted felon. So, I may be wrong on this, or it may be a state to state issue.
I am also not sure if the returning of the right to vote is only to non-violent felons or to all. Interesting question though.. will be looking it up.
Thanks