A larger question: What rights do prisoners forfeit and retain.

[jg10003]

Most prisoners are citizens or legal residents. Pete is right when he says that prisoners give up rights, specifically the right to freedom. However they do retain other rights, such as freedom of religion. So the question is “what other rights do prisoners forfeit and which do they retain.

I suggest that prisoners forfeit any right that is incompatible with incarceration. For example, the right to bear arms is incompatible with keeping a person in prison (even the NRA would not suggest that prison inmates have a right to have a gun). Fourth amendment rights regarding warrantless searches are also incompatible with maintaining a prison. However free speech and prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishments can be protected without compromising the operation of a prison.

Allowing prisoners to vote does not interfere with the functioning of a prison. Therefore prisoners have a right to vote.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. I support incarcerated people voting. I can't think of a reason against incarcerated people voting

that isn't based in emotion, revenge or "just because" thinking. Your distinction -- what rights are incompatible with incarceration -- is helpful.

[rgbecker]

2. I would hope they retain a right to a lawyer and to have visitors.

They certainly should get something to eat and a place to sleep.

There is finally some movement to address solitary confinement as a form of torture.

I'd love to see a cross tabulation of people on the DU that support the death penalty with those that think letting people vote while in prison should never happen. I feel the merciless revenge factor rather than public safety or deterrent is the driving force for this kind of thinking.

[Buzz cook]

3. The forfeit the right to avoid search and seizure

And they do not have the right to privacy in communication. The right of assembly is curtailed. Sure I'm missing others.

Losing the right to vote is imho, unreasonable. It doesn't serve any purpose except to dilute the vote.