tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post1993987002408991745..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Prisoners and the Right to VoteJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-45661566299775616572007-06-16T18:20:00.000+10:002007-06-16T18:20:00.000+10:00That's very interesting, Lexcen. It captures the v...That's very interesting, Lexcen. It captures the variety in practice. The High Court transcript brings some of the issues out. I suspect that all this is worth a fuller discussion in due course just to tease out the issues.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-22859607736423155852007-06-16T14:11:00.000+10:002007-06-16T14:11:00.000+10:00Just adding a paragraph on this topic from Wikiped...Just adding a paragraph on this topic from Wikipedia.<BR/>Many countries restrict the voting rights of convicted criminals. Some countries, and some U.S. states, also deny the right to vote to those convicted of serious crimes after they are released from prison. In some cases (e.g. the felony disenfranchisement laws found in many U.S. states) the denial of the right to vote is automatic on a felony conviction; in other cases (e.g. provisions found in many parts of continental Europe) the denial of the right to vote is an additional penalty that the court can choose to impose, over and above the penalty of imprisonment, such as in France or Germany. In the Republic of Ireland, prisoners are not specifically denied the right to vote, but are also not provided access to a ballot station, so are effectively disenfranchised. Canada allowed only prisoners serving a term of less than 2 years the right to vote, but this was found unconstitutional in 2002 by the Supreme Court of Canada in Sauvé v. Canada (Chief Electoral Officer), and all prisoners were allowed to vote as of the 2004 Canadian federal election. Some countries also disenfranchize people in psychiatric facilities.Lexcenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17856993035719777231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-82827205836610514492007-06-13T06:21:00.000+10:002007-06-13T06:21:00.000+10:00Lexcen, I will respond to your comment, but I have...Lexcen, I will respond to your comment, but I have to get to work, so it will be tonight.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-23029832585166095302007-06-12T18:44:00.000+10:002007-06-12T18:44:00.000+10:00Jim I can't agree with you for the following reaso...Jim I can't agree with you for the following reasons. A person serving a jail (gaol) sentence has committed crimes against society. Whether he/she is in jail for reform and/or punishment (and that is a separate and big issue all on its own) jail implies loss of freedoms. These freedoms are taken away for a very good reason. I can't see how the freedom to vote can be valued above other freedoms whilst in jail.Lexcenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17856993035719777231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-41917762751229222552007-06-12T17:07:00.000+10:002007-06-12T17:07:00.000+10:00Neil and Stephen, thanks for your comments. Stephe...Neil and Stephen, thanks for your comments. <BR/><BR/>Stephen, oddly I did catch part of the program on my way to work this morning. I had completely missed the change to the rules promulgated by Mr Howard.<BR/><BR/>Without having thought all the issues through, I thought that the radio program in that part I heard did not focus properly on my core concern, the principle established by any restriction outside the core one laid down in the constitution. <BR/><BR/>Once it is accepted that a Government has the right to limit the franchise, then the only thing we are talking about is where to draw the line. And that line may be drawn by a strong Government in such a way as to suit itself.<BR/><BR/>I accept that there have been changes in perceptions about who can vote over time, but these have focused on extension of the franchise. To me at least, withdrawal of an existing right to vote once established is a very different issue.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-14202324590773059012007-06-12T11:59:00.000+10:002007-06-12T11:59:00.000+10:00Reference missing there: Prisoner Voting Rights.Reference missing there: <A HREF="http://www.justiceaction.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=77&Itemid=110" REL="nofollow">Prisoner Voting Rights</A>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-7724505748616442262007-06-12T11:58:00.000+10:002007-06-12T11:58:00.000+10:00The ABC's Law report had quite a good coverage of ...The ABC's Law report had quite a good coverage of this (Tuesday on Radio National)<BR/>I just don't get why we are not trying as hard as possible to <I>encourage</I> people to vote in order to safeguard democracy, rather than <I>discourage</I> those who would actually be most likely to fall off the edge.<BR/>Well, in reality, I probably do get it...but I wonder why the Libs (seems mainly to be them) really are so happy to disenfranchise people.Stephan Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11194782441138561354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-33052346770442109472007-06-12T11:57:00.000+10:002007-06-12T11:57:00.000+10:00No, it is a development brought on by the "Liberal...No, it is a development brought on by the "Liberal" government: <A HREF="http://www.justiceaction.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=77&Itemid=110" REL="nofollow"></A>. "Until recently all Australian prisoners serving sentences of less than only three years could vote in federal elections. In Aug 2004 Federal Parliament restricted the right to vote to those serving sentences of three years or less.<BR/><BR/>Now the coalition has barred all prisoners from voting in federal elections with the introduction late last year of the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Electoral Integrity and Other Measures) Act."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-36124183771244809842007-06-12T03:54:00.000+10:002007-06-12T03:54:00.000+10:00You may well be right, Neil. I don't know the hist...You may well be right, Neil. I don't know the history of this one. Has it always been so? I must try to find out at some point.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-75065981475970228332007-06-11T22:01:00.000+10:002007-06-11T22:01:00.000+10:00Couldn't agree more, Jim. Seems like a hangover fr...Couldn't agree more, Jim. Seems like a hangover from the convict past, doesn't it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com