Should convicted felons be given back their rights after a long period of time, e.g. 10+ years, where they are out of prison and don't commit any crimes? Should the severity of their crime be a factor or should they all be treated the same?

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• I'm inclined to agree.
  
  Especially now that you can't go anywere outside the country without a passport (actually you can go, you just can't get back in). There may be treaties about the passport but I don't know.
  
  So, how did you get a job with a felony record? And did you stay in the same jurisdiction?

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  by Possum on April 18th, 2008

• I own my business so the boss is cool with it :) I moved several stats away.

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  by shady on April 19th, 2008

• I completely agree!! I am in a similar situation but i was tried as an adult at the age of 16 for fighting(Aggravated Battery) sent to adult prison and served 2 years(Without ever fighting once) i was released(good behavior) in 2001 and i have not been in trouble since!! I am now 31 with kids and this conviction is easy for anyone to look up and alot of good potential jobs require no FELONIES. I cannot carry a firearm or even vote because of something i did when i was 16 years old!! It not only effects me it effects my family!!And believe it or not,even being a juvenile there is no way of getting it removed and it is perfectly legal in the State of Florida to do this!!BSBSBS!!!If you can help me or have input that could potentially help me retain all my rights back E-mail me air.jordan@cox.net

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  by air.jordan on March 28th, 2010

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• But isn't one of the the pupose of incarceration/probation/etc. to have them pay their "debt to society"?
  as far as "a felon is a felon"-do you actually feel that a 60 year old who embezzles $25,000 for his child's medical bills should be treated the same as someone who seriously wounds (we're leaving of homocides here)someone while committing a crime?

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  by Possum on April 18th, 2008

• Yes, I have watched my own parents struggle the past four years due to the shaft we call medical care but you do not see us out there breaking the law. The rules of the game are simple. You play you pay. You have a choice whether to become a felon or not. I have friends who are felons and they knew what they were getting into and took those chances. I stand by my opinion and the negative ratings will not change that.

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  by Snooch on April 18th, 2008

• i certainly didn't rate you and personally i don't know why anyone ever cares about ratings.
  but in my opinion saying that a "one size fits all" approach to this question is pretty short-sighted.
  by the way, i'm really sorry about your parents and they might want to try and get some help in working things out with the healthcare/insurance providers-there are ways.

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  by Possum on April 18th, 2008

• I think you should re-read my answer in regards to your "one size fits all". I think every avenue has been taken for my parents and the many patients that I visit each month going through the same thing. You will be surprised in your golden years if things do not change. Our system is letting people die. Money talks still in this country. I hope things change, for all of us. Peace

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  by Snooch on April 18th, 2008

• i asked whether an elderly non-violent felon should be treated the same as a young violent on and i interpreted your "The rules of the game are simple" as meaning yes. Does it mean no?
  i probably understand the shortcomings of the healthcare system better than you realize-and visting "many patients" does not qualify as getting some professional advice.
  the american healthcare system is a national desgrace and unbeleavable to folks in the vast majority of the world.

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  by Possum on April 18th, 2008

• Yes, I do feel if you break the law and are in your right mind, the punishment should be the same. There are other ways to fight a system, even dramatic ways. Breaking the law to get what you need will show others to do the same, we cannot have that. It is your opinion on what I see out in the field. You seem to think there is a magical button one will eventually find if they keep probing but that is not true. Many of our elderly sit without medications that keep them alive because they are indigent. On our system being a disgrace, we agree. Our system kills people.

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  by Snooch on April 19th, 2008

• i don't know how you got this on to healthcare, with is worthy of an entire section of it's own, but i just can't believe that third world countries like cuba have better healthcare systems than we.

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  by Possum on April 19th, 2008

• Me either. It is unreal. I got onto it because I could see people doing desperate things in regards to the lack of care as you used s an example in your first comment.

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  by Snooch on April 19th, 2008

• "got into it"-you mean on the thread or are you somehow professionally involved

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  by Possum on April 19th, 2008

• Onto it as in responding to your comment if it were a 60 year old who embezzeled for his child's medical bills. I could understand the desire to want to do something desperate but I still would not condone it. It would open the door for others to break the law because their reasoning would be just as passionate to them.

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  by Snooch on April 19th, 2008

• of course you wouldn't condone it. but would permanently taking away the right to vote or have a passport (can't even go to canada)make a straighten out non-violent ex-convict a better person or help society in any way?

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  by Possum on April 19th, 2008

• I typed too much so it went poof. I have a friend who cannot own a firearm because of something he did when he was younger. Great guy, law abiding .. etc. I hate it for him because he regrets a youthful and wild past. If you are looking to change the law to where it all is not under one bracket push for a bill for it. I support the way our laws are written for the most part. They do deter a lot. I do not rob banks to make life easier for me because I know I am accountable for my actions and do not want the punishment I could be given.

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  by Snooch on April 19th, 2008

• I had bought an airsoft bb gun an on my way home someone said I had a gun so the police arrested me. The gun was in its original case with reseet stapled to it. I plead guilty so I could get out of jail I was 19 & didnt have bail money (3500). All the witness statements said I was just walking with a bag. After I plead guilty the JUDGE literaly laughed and said "we had nothing on you there was no victim statement" I took an F6 for that and die to the nature of it I cannot appeal. What do u think of THAT?

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  by machoantonetty on October 18th, 2011

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• Committing crimes isn't right.

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  by SanityClause on December 6th, 2010

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• by that logic just keep them in jail forever because of what they might have done that no one knows about?

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  by Possum on April 18th, 2008

• So I guess JandB has never done anything wrong? I agree with Possum...everyone seems to want to lock people up and throw away the key. What most don't think about is prison is a college on how to become a better criminal and then the majority get released back in to society! Anyway, I think felons who have stayed out of trouble should have their rights restored. It should be done on a case by case basis to prevent repeat offenders from rights restoration.

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  by PO2008 on April 18th, 2008

• Yes I have to agree with you jan b must have never crossed over any lines in her life but I have and I paid my debt to society. Been done for ten plus years now. So heres one if I dont have any rights to vote or make decisions regarding our government then please tell me why am I paying FEDERAL TAXES they wanna take away my rights but still take my money.

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  by Jack b nimble on November 27th, 2009

• You're forgetting something Possum out of the Penalty Box. MAYBE they DIDN'T commit crimes. YOU'RE ASS/U/ME-ing they are criminal all around. MAYBE with your line of thinking, they should be put into CONCENTRATION CAMPS??? After all, what better way for them to pay their debt to society? Maybe they should be excluded from having children. Maybe they should have their junk cut off. Maybe YOU never committed a crime before??? How about speeding? How about taking a little something that wasn't yours? ARE you so totally perfect? DON'T THROW rocks if you live in glass houses. I really doubt you are so perfect.
  AND if thats the case, then the following list of criminals should join the rest.
  1. BILL CLINTON. he committed a crime by lying under oath.
  2. Newt Ginrich. His crime was he consulted a lawyer on his ethics violation in contradiction to House of Rep orders to NOT do so.
  3. Bristol Palin and her boyfriend. THEY had underage sex. THEREFORE they are sex offenders.
  Do you see? WHEN you start making a list, and then have no RECOURSE for those on there, what is the next step? DO you think all these "CRIMINALS" will just want to stay there?

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  by James_B4003 on December 6th, 2010

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• Murder isn't the only crime one can commit with a gun.

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  by SanityClause on December 6th, 2010

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• You should get your rights back as soon as your victim gives the OK.

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  by SanityClause on December 6th, 2010

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• Ever get a speeding ticket? Ever fail to return a library book? Its also NOT UP to you to "trust" anyone with THEIR rights. SORRY, last time we went that route, JAPANESE AMERICANS ended being interned in camps because of the way they looked.
  OH, with regards to 1st Amendment rights, that too is curtailed if your convicted.
  SO, because someone makes a mistake, they deserve lifetime punishment? Hope you NEVER, EVER, EVER, make a single mistake in your ENTIRE LIFE. FOR if you do, then you will lose the right to not only vote, own weapons, but where you can work, what you can do, or if you EVER want to go back to college with Financial Aid.
  I can also hear what your thinking. "MAYBE you shouldn't have committed that crime." Fine. Lets hope YOU never make a small error either. Lets hope you NEVER slap your husband. Thats a crime. Lets hope you never spank your kids in public. LETS hope you don't fall asleep and your kids walk out the door into traffic. THATS a crime. Lets hope you never walk into an AIRPORT and refuse to get scanned or have the TSA grope you. THATS a felony.
  THE LIST of "CRIMES" is endless for which ANYONE can lose their rights forever.
  Do you think an ever increasing class of sub citizens, who can't vote, travel, own a gun, speak out, is the way to go? At last count 1 out of every 3 African Americans is on Probation/parole/or in prison. With White Americans its 1 out of every 7.
  And yet, ILLEGAL aliens, who CAME into this country illegally, many using FALSE documents to work, taking WELFARE, are going to be rewarded with CITIZENSHIP. WHICH includes the same rights OTHERS are being denied even after completion of their sentence.
  WHY should YOU trust us with our rights? Because one day YOU will lose yours, and you may need someone to stand with you and say "THIS isn't right." If you never stood with that person when THEY needed your help, how can you expect it?

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  by James_B4003 on December 6th, 2010

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• If they took life or innocence when do you consider that corrected?

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  by SanityClause on December 6th, 2010

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• Deported? Wait until its you being deported for getting too many speeding tickets.
  With many laws, they were EX-post Facto. THAT is PUNISHMENT added AFTER the conviction. AND if you look in the CONSTITUTION (pesky little thing, naming people's GOD GIVEN rights),ex post facto isn't allowed.
  BUT politicians keep adding what is criminal and what isn't. Sure I made a mistake. SHOULD it be a lifetime punishment? Can there be no REDEMPTION? CAN there be NO FORGIVENESS? If thats the case, then why do us sub-citizens need to follow the rest of the laws? Maybe we'll go on a crime wave. AFTER all, isn't that all we are? What we've been convicted of?
  God help you if you're convicted of anything.

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  by James_B4003 on December 6th, 2010

• There is no god, and to be convicted of anything I'd have to commit a crime. Full restitution should be the minimum criteria for release, with no substitution allowed.

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  by SanityClause on December 6th, 2010

• Deported to where? I was born and raised in the USA.

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  by jackie13 on March 3rd, 2012

• Doesn't matter. If you can't or won't act in a civilized manner, following the laws almost everyone else does to be a productive member of society, then you don't deserve to be here. Find a place where crime is a way of life and you'll fit right in.

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  by SanityClause on March 4th, 2012

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• You have said it the best there the prison systems are the to detain you for long periods of time thats all.They are not correctional facilitys cause what are they correcting??????? Nothing they put young kids in there and release them back upon to society without no help or mental stability its job security for the legal system!!!!!!!!!!

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  by Jack b nimble on November 27th, 2009

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• FUCK YOU :)

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  by machoantonetty on October 18th, 2011

• And the same to you.

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  by NatztheGreat on October 23rd, 2011

• Thanks ;)
  I have a felony for a bb gun that as in my house. Does that make me a bad person? (seven years ago) only traffic tickets since then. 5 kids married college grad ect. whats abba?

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  by machoantonetty on October 23rd, 2011

• If it's against the law and you knew it was, it does, yeah. Moreso because of the 5 children if any of them were around then. It doesn't matter what grades you've got or where you've graduated from, anyone can have children and get married. If you know something's against the law and you do it anyway, yes, you're a bad person for doing it.
  
  Abba was a group of singers from the 70's.

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  by NatztheGreat on October 27th, 2011

• O yea I remember ABBA now! No kids at the time but the airsoft is legal in this state it was in its original package with proof of purchase stapled to it all witness statements said i did nothing wrong i only plead guilty to get out of jail as soon as i plead guilty the judge literally laughed out loud and said "we had nothing on you (with a smirk) there was'nt even a victim." Was that fair? I couldnt even join the marines after jrotc. This one girl got a fine for $150 it was her fourth felony offence she had 3 ounces of meth with intent to sell driving while high on that stuff. This was her third probation violation for possetion of meth and only got a fine AGAIN we had the same judge too by the way. She was on probation for dwi and running over a stroller with a six month old baby in it but im the bad guy huh...

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  by machoantonetty on October 28th, 2011