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  • Essay / Violation of the Social Contract: Do Prisoners Deserve the Right to Vote

    According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, rights are qualities (such as respect for duty or obedience to legal authority) that, together constitute the ideal of moral propriety or merit. moral approval. The prisoners have committed a crime, they are violating the “social contract”. A custodial sentence has always resulted in a loss of liberty and a loss of democratic rights for the duration of a prisoner’s sentence” (Aitken 2015). Why change that? Is there a moral imperative for such change? Do prisoners deserve the right to vote? The social contract is the agreement between citizens to follow rules and laws for the good of society. Prisoners should therefore not be allowed to vote as it would be cumbersome for the government and the electoral office to organize a fair vote in prison based on the requirements. of the law in Jamaica and the prisoners have shown that they cannot comply with the laws of their country. Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay It would be cumbersome for the government and the election office to arrange a fair prison vote based on the requirements of the law. Jamaican law clearly states that “The electoral system does not permit voters to vote outside the parish in which they are enumerated/Verification of residence” (Electoral Commission of Jamaica)/(Representation of the People Act 1999 ). Would it be fair for the government or election office to change the law for people who cannot follow it? When incarcerated, they are no longer identified by name but by number, and in Jamaica, identification is required to vote. his identity due to the fact that the head of elections S. 2.; » Part IV S7(a) « (Representation of the People Act 1999). Being in prison means that a person is “cut off” from civic commitments such as paying taxes, accessing health care or even interacting with the public sphere. Once a person commits a crime, he or she has waived his or her right as a citizen, according to the Jamaica Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, "the right to life, liberty and security of person and the right not to be deprived of them”. except for the execution of a sentence passed by a court in respect of a criminal offense for which the person has been convicted.” (Needs a concluding point) The prisoners showed that they could not comply with the laws of their country. The incarcerated prisoners have proven that they cannot follow the law. Jamaican statistics have shown that the recidivism rate is 29%. Recidivism only affects offenders who are reconvicted, not those who are indicted or those who reoffend but are not arrested (McKay 2018). Voting is not a necessity like being able to eat or go to the bathroom, it is a right that is earned and according to the New York Daily News Editorial Board, losing the rights afforded to law-abiding people is part of the punishment inflicted on prisoners. This is especially true in cases of murder, where not only is an individual's life lost, but also a citizen's ability to participate in democracy. Do you still think a prisoner should have the right to vote while incarcerated? Let's not forget that prison is supposed to be a punishment for crimes, presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg believes that part of the punishment when a person is convicted of a crime and incarcerated is the loss of certain rights ; they also lose their freedom. And he.