Judge Paul Heath stated that "the most fundamental aspect of a democracy... the right of all citizens to elect those who will govern on their behalf." Taking away the right to vote is contrary to the functioning of a democracy. As Heath said, all citizens have the right to elect who represents them in court. Justice Earl Warren wrote in Trop v. Dulles in 1958: “Citizenship is not a right that expires following bad behavior.” Depriving prisoners of their right to vote sends the message that they are temporarily not citizens, thus dehumanizing prisoners. If prisoners remain citizens while serving their sentences, then they should also enjoy basic civil rights, including the right to vote. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The law that disenfranchises prisoners is inconsistent. Dr. Susan Easton mentioned in Modern Law Review's "Electing the Electorate" that the law is disproportionate to your crime. Whether you have pickpocketed or killed multiple times, that aspect of your punishment is the same. But this is only if you receive punishment. The law is also arbitrary, you will only be affected by it if you happen to serve your sentence during general or local election years. This means that some prisoners who committed the same crimes receive different punishments. For example, a pickpocket with a short prison sentence is jailed a week before Election Day, so he can't vote. While a prisoner who attempted to kill is incarcerated during an election year he will still be able to vote. Prison assaults and self-harm are another issue that isn't talked about enough. In England and Wales, the number of suicides among prisoners has doubled since 2013. Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: “The message from these deeply alarming numbers could not be clearer. An overcrowded prison system cannot cope with the number of people it is supposed to hold. People in prison are at greater risk of self-harm and suicide than the rest of the public. Prisoners are also five times more likely to suffer from a mental illness or disorder. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In a 2011 ruling finding California prisons overcrowded in violation of the United States' Eighth Amendment, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that an inmate "dies needlessly every six or seven days" in California alone. New Zealand prisons may be a little less severe than American ones, but there are still many different issues that make it difficult to find accommodation for prisoners in an after-prison setting. Overcrowding in prisons has caused an increase in beds and limited resources, which increases the risk of riots.
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