The Representation of the People Act 1983 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Representation of the People Act 1983 - Essay Example Prisoners are allowed to vote in Canada, Ukraine, South Africa, Iran and some other nations, whereas other nations like Russia, Finland, some states in the USA ban prisoners from voting . Approximately, 4.5 million prisoners around the world have been disenfranchised . In the US some states allow felons out on parole or probation to vote . In Richardson v Ramirez , the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a state’s right to ban felons from voting. In Sauvà © v Canada , the Supreme Court of Canada rejected the legislation forbidding federal prisoners from voting. In Hirst v United Kingdom , the European Court of Human Rights, applying the reasoning in the case of Sauvà © v Canada, held the ban on prisoners’ voting rights as invalid. The UK government argued that disenfranchisement prevented crime and punished offenders, serving to enhance the civic responsibility and respect for the rule of the law. It also argued that convicted prisoners due to having breached the social contract had surrendered the right to take part in the civil process for the period of their sentence. The notion of civil death or withdrawal of political, legal and civil rights has its origins in ancient Greek and Roman societies and was adopted by medieval Europe .