I work with a convicted felon who satisfies my cookie craving. Mr. J is a baker at my job at a local grocery store and when he was twenty years old was arrested for armed robbery and served time in prison and left labeled a convicted felon. One out of twelve Americans has a felony conviction which is about twenty million people. The United States of America proudly calls itself the land of the free, but America has twenty-five percent of the world’s prisoners. It is hard for these prisoners to embrace their home of the brave when they lose basic rights that everyone qualifies for as an American citizen. In forty-six states, convicted felons are disenfranchised which means they are not allowed to vote. Since thirteen percent of the African American male population are disenfranchised, does America have a prison problem, or better yet, a race problem?  In Florida, over thirty percent of African American males permanently lose the right to vote. Senator Ted Cruz claimed this election season that convicted felons typically vote democrat. Although this claim was debunked, one has to wonder if those thirty percent of African American males could vote, could America have a different President right now? In addition to voting, felons also lose the right to buy a gun, travel abroad, be a public citizen. Unlike my store manager, some bosses refuse to hire convicted felons so it becomes much harder to find a job. Convicted felons lose the right to work with the U.S. Armed Forces, law enforcement agencies, and as teachers and child care professionals. Because of disenfranchisement and lower employment opportunities, convicted felons are more likely to return to criminal activities.

Convicted felons lose the right to be a public citizen when he or she loses the right to vote which may lead them to become criminals again. Most convicted felons have already completed their prison sentence or are on parole, yet still, are not granted back their rights. In some states, convicted felons can try to recover their lost rights, but the process is strenuous. In ten states, convicted felons are never allowed to vote again after being sentenced for his or her crime (“State's Laws Felons Prevent 1.4 Million Black Men From Voting In The U.S.: Report”). Disenfranchisement affects minorities the most as African American and Hispanics made up over half of all convicted felons.  Although African Americans and Hispanics only make up one-quarter of the U.S. population, they comprise half of all disenfranchised Americans. The number of disenfranchised minorities is growing steadily and the numbers are shocking: “28.5 percent of black men will be confined in prison at least once during their lifetimes, a figure six times greater than for white men” (Fellner and Mauer). Some critics of disenfranchisement have compared it to the grandfather clause and illiteracy tests during the Jim Crow era.  In addition to discriminating, disenfranchisement violates the U.S. Constitution as the 15th Amendment says “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” The right to vote is also defended in the 24th Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. After leaving prison, convicted felons are 75% likely to return to prison. The lack of public service may make them unable to become successful as American law abiding citizens and to become political outcasts. Voting in public elections may lead convicted felons to care more about laws as they have been able to vote for their own legislators. Disenfranchisement is discriminatory, unconstitutional, and leads to people returning to prison.

Another reason why convicted felons may feel they have no other options than to return to illegal activities is low employment opportunities. Incarceration reduces many likely jobs for workers as the government restricts them from working with children and working for the government or any type of public service. Convicted felon’s chances of being hired for any job reduces 15 to 30% and reduces the weeks actually worked by 6 to 11 weeks ( “Study Shows Ex-offenders Have Greatly Reduced Employment Rates”). Some employers are scared to hire convicted felons as they do not trust them to handle money or to stay out of legal trouble. Another obstacle for convicted felons finding jobs is the mandatory drug tests that most companies have when they hire new employees which unfairly only tests for marijuana.  The unemployment rate for African Americans is greatly higher than the unemployment rate for white people, so African American felons find it harder to find work than white felons. Most convicted felons who cannot find work will return to selling drugs, stealing, or any other criminal activity: “A lot of times, folks who come out [of jail] and get roadblock after roadblock and door closed, they give up and some of them re-commit crimes because they feel that’s their only option” ( “Study Shows Ex-offenders Have Greatly Reduced Employment Rates”). The lack of government assistance for convicted felons to find jobs also leads them to return to their prior crimes. Low employment opportunities for convicted felons can lead them to believe their own option to make money is to commit crimes.

Although opponents say that convicted felons lose their American rights when they become criminals, that leads to an increase in felons returning to crimes. Some supporters of disenfranchisement believe that convicted felons should not be trusted to vote in government elections, but the U.S. does not take away any other constitutional rights to convicted felons and if they are trustworthy enough to be released from prison, they should be able to vote. The supporters of the disenfranchisement laws claim to protect the integrity of the elections by not allowing convicted felons to vote, but voter fraud is nonexistent in most government elections and the felons should be able to vote for lawmakers if they are expected to follow the laws (. In the Supreme Court case, Richardson v. Ramirez, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall stated: "It is doubtful ... whether the state can demonstrate either a compelling or rational policy interest in denying former felons the right to vote. [Ex-offenders] have fully paid their debt to society. They are as much affected by the actions of government as any other citizen, and have as much of a right to participate in governmental decision-making. Furthermore, the denial of a right to vote to such persons is hindrance to the efforts of society to rehabilitate former felons and convert them into law-abiding and productive citizens” (Fellner and Mauer). By not treating the convicted felons like American citizens, how can we expect them to act like American citizens? Supporters of low employment opportunities for convicted felons state that they would rather non-criminals become employed first, but many convicted felons are undereducated and are willing to work unskilled jobs. Disenfranchisement and low employment opportunities lead convicted felons to return to a life of crime because they are unable to fully adapt to a legal American citizen lifestyle.
Convicted felons lose many rights that most American citizens have like voting in government elections, owning a gun, traveling to foreign countries, and lose many employment opportunities like serving in the U.S. armed forces which may lead them to return to criminal activities. Disenfranchisement discriminates against minorities since African Americans and Hispanics are over half of all convicted felons. Voting is a constitutional right stated in the 15th and 24th Amendment and is the only constitutional right that is taken away from convicted felons. By voting for public officials, convicted felons may feel more supportive of their nation’s laws and will turn away from crimes. Incarceration leads to poor employment opportunities as employers are hesitant to hire convicted felons and convicted felons are not allowed to work with children or with a public government agency. Without a solid way to support themselves, many convicted felons turn to illegal activities.  Supporters of disenfranchisement believe that the convicted felons lose their right to be a public citizen when he or she commits a serious crime, but the convicted felons serve their time in prison and once they are released should be trusted to make decisions in government. Supporters of low employment opportunities claim that non-criminals should receive jobs before criminals do, but most convicted felons are applying for unskilled and uneducated work. A lack of convicted felons rights like disenfranchisement and unemployment lead to felons returning to a life of crime.