Prison Path
Inmates Don’t Vote–Inmate’s Families & Friends Do Vote
For the first time in modern presidential campaigns, presidential candidates are calling for criminal justice reform. The United States has almost 25% of the world’s inmates, despite having only 5% of the world’s population. 2.3 million inmates are imprisoned in our state, local, and federal prisons. Approximately another 4.8 million individuals are supervised by parole and/or probation. The American system of justice is broken.
The almost 7 million individuals, who are incarcerated and/or supervised in their community, have millions of family members and friends who can vote in the 2016 election. This sizable voting bloc constitutes millions of voters. It is time for this group of voters to vote for reform of our criminal justice system.
There are many factors contributing to this broken system. First, we should recognize that addiction is a health issue and not a criminal offense. Second, nonviolent mentally ill offenders should not be incarcerated in our jails and prisons, but instead receive effective mental health care in our local communities. Third, it is time to end the unfair targeting of minorities. The list goes on……
Two Republican candidates had called for justice reform. Sen.Rand Paul demanded the end of our overcrowded prisons. Governor Christie had advocated prison reform as a way to save tax dollars. Both Sen. Rand and Gov. Christie have withdrawn from the presidential race for 2016.
Republican Candidate Trump is silent on prison reform and ending our mass incarceration crisis.
Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton has advocated prison reform. She has called for change to a justice system that has the most inmates and prisons in the world. Hillary Clinton, in her April 2015 speech on criminal justice reform, listed five points which included ending our era of mass incarceration by finding, “alternative punishments for low-level offenders.”At the Democratic convention, candidate Clinton renewed her call for reform of our broken system of justice.
It is time for inmate’s families and friends to form a voting bloc in favor of Democratic presidential candidate Clinton who believes in reform of our criminal justice system. In 2000, the presidential election was decided by 537 votes in Florida. Inmate’s families and friends number in the millions and their votes can decide the election of 2016.
By:Bradley Schwartz
Founder of prisonpath.com
Cynthia– America has a nasty habit of hurrying to enact legislation, then tarrying to correct the harm it creates within our society. I hold our citizenry responsible for the greater part. This idea of only having the choice between Dem-Rep candidates has led us down the path to oligarchy. As voters, we need to stop letting the media, or the party, tell us what to think and for whom to vote. It should be the best person for the job. Period. Representatives should do just that. Represent. But, I feel that our representatives have forgotten; disregarded, just who it is… Read more »
Cooper–Why can’t they vote…this senseless law should be abolished.
Daryl —Let them vote
Debbie– It is so ridiculous that they take this right away from them
Cooper–Why can’t they vote…this senceless law should be abolished
Daryl–Why can’t they vote…this senless law should be abolished
David–Well I say do the crime do the time and lose your rights just m
Keithelise– We can vote I’m convicted felon
I can vote
Yes I did my time for my crime&accepted the STONE COLD FUCKING TRUTH
NOBODY’S FAULT BUT MY OWN
WORD
Joe– Here’s a radical idea: Don’t commit Crimes!
Then there wouldn’t be a need for prisons or a need to worry about losing voting rights. Simple.
Susan–Convicted felons can vote quit believing everything you hear. Do your damn research. They can’t vote if they are doing time. Actually some people become felons when they are young do their time and change. Trump 2016
Brad– Incorrect, many states do not allow felons to vote if on parole or probation. Technically, parole is still prison, but the inmate is released. There are states that do not allow felons to vote. Alabama, Arizona, etc.