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February 15, 2005
New Report: Voting Rights Restoration
New Report: Voting Rights Restoration
The Sentencing Project announces the publication of a new report, Barred for Life: Voting Rights Restoration in Permanent Disenfranchisement States, that examines the rights restoration process in the 14 states in which disenfranchisement may last for a lifetime. The study finds that in 11 of these states, less than 3% of disenfranchised persons have had their rights restored in recent years. In each of the 14 states, some or all persons convicted of a felony lose their voting rights even after completion of their sentence, and often for life. While each state has a process in place whereby persons with felony convictions can apply for restoration, in practice few are able to do so successfully. The study identifies a range of obstacles in most states, including overly cumbersome processes, lengthy and confusing waiting periods, inappropriate character tests, and inadequate data collection. The Sentencing Project calls on states to reform current practices in this area and to work for repeal of permanent disenfranchisement laws.
www.sentencingproject.org
Posted by lois at February 15, 2005 04:49 PM