Rights Forfeited by Convicted Felons
Once convicted of a felony, an American citizen loses some of the rights granted under the Constitution. The reasoning behind this was the theory that a felon did not care for the rights or welfare of others, and therefore should not be allowed to enjoy certain basic entitlements.
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Firearms
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Convicted felons are not allowed to possess any type of firearm. This right is restricted because most felony crimes are committed using a firearm.
Voting
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Convicted felons lose their right to vote. Felons also lose any right to serve on jury duty.
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Holding Office
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By most state laws, a convicted felon cannot hold a public office, such as being a school board member or city council member. There is no federal law prohibiting felons from being elected to Congress or from running for president.
Housing
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Federal housing laws prohibit felons from gaining federally funded housing. This often forces felons to remain homeless or find substandard housing.
Function
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The original reasoning behind losing rights once convicted was to provide a large enough consequence to avoid criminal behavior.
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References
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Comments
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Once a felon, always a felon. It should be a privledge that you are permitted to walk on the streets again. You brought grievous harm to society and this is your punishment. How many people were affected by your actions? How many people did you hurt? How many people suffered and died? If it was up to me, I would give you the electric chair because odds are you will do it again.
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My heart goes out to you I have 2 sons that are suffering from there mistakes from when they were younger also and it is very hard for them to find work and a place to live because this government is so screwed up they will let sex offenders have a job and be able to rent a home so why can felons have the same my sons have children to my sons was beaten up by 2 men when he was 16 years old and got away with it he defended him self from 2 men ages 25 and 45 years old and the police did nothing to help my son and they only took one side of the storie those mens stories so now my son has tolive like this the rest of his life i wish all the luck and god bless you
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We need to do something about there rights because a lot of families in california have spouses that a felons and there families are being treated the same way which is not right, they should be able to work and rent a home for them and there families most of these felons are the main support of there famlies the makes it to where they have to lie to be able to get a job or rent a home for them and there loved ones we need to get congress do something for them they are not animals they are humans like you and me and deserve a fair chance to.
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The statement is wrong about most felones using a firearm, there are also white coller felones that does use firearms at all, the use the computer...What the goverment going to take away our computers too.Also look at this the goverment and private companies hire convicted felons to help them with their security systems and to make them better.
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I am a convicted drug felon and I have just been denied housing after I was told through the whole process that it would be fine. Then after 7 months and being at the top of the list I was denied. It makes it really hard to try and finish college when I am driving so far everyday. I don't think it matters how you better your life it is always going to be dictated by your previous mistakes. I was young and ever so dumb and now because of this I will be nothing in life.
