Why Prisoners Should Be Given The Vote

My brother was talking about the whole prisoners being allowed to vote thing the other day.  I said I thought they should be allowed the vote.  He said they gave up that right when they committed the crime.  I can’t remember what answer I gave to him, but it was rubbish.  This is what I actually think.

Prisoners do not give up their rights, either at the point they commit a crime or the point they are sentenced.  We, by which I mean society, temporarily withhold certain of their rights for the period of their imprisonment.  But not all.  We do not deny prisoners three square meals a day.  We do not deny them shelter or warmth.  They can see and talk to friends and relatives.  They have access to healthcare and education.  They are able to practice their religion, whatever that may be.

So we are admitting that there are certain human rights so unassailable that they cannot be withheld, regardless of the seriousness of the crime.  So we are now into the grey area between rights which absolutely cannot be restricted and those which absolutely must be restricted, for reasons of punishment and public safety.

The rights that are generally accepted as being the values of democracy and the basic rights of all human beings are remarkably similar to those enjoyed by prisoners.  Access to education and healthcare.  Shelter, food and warmth.  Freedom to practice one’s religion.  And, of course, most importantly, the right to choose (and get rid of) one’s government through one man one vote.

We send our army around the world to fight in the name of defending and spreading democracy and human rights.  If we’re sending young men to die in their hundreds for this thing called democracy, shouldn't we be damned sure that we truly believe in it?  That the democracy we have at home is held so dear that we are willing to sacrifice young men to defend it?

Giving 80,000 prisoners the vote isn't going to swing an election.  It won’t suddenly put a party in power whose sole manifesto promise is to release all prisoners and burn down the jails.  But it may encourage some prisoners to engage with the society that in some way they have tried to destroy.  It may encourage just a small number to take an interest in issues that will affect them when they are released, and that affect their families while they remain inside.  It may encourage some to get involved in local politics or community groups when they’re out, and may discourage one or two from re-offending.

Democracy is imperfect, obviously.  But it is apathy and non-engagement that allows those imperfections to fester and grow.  Communities are better when people are engaged in contributing to, improving and maintaining them.  Countries work the same way.  We should take every opportunity to encourage engagement.  And giving the vote to a captive audience is a good start.