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

The Representation of the People Act 1983 - Essay ExamplePrisoners are allowed to vote in Canada, Ukraine, S egressh Africa, Iran and some other nations, whereas other nations like Russia, Finland, some situates in the USA ban prisoners from pick out . 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 states in good order to ban felons from voting. In Sauv v Canada , the Supreme Court of Canada rejected the legislation drear federal prisoners from voting. In Hirst v United Kingdom , the European Court of Human Rights, applying the reasoning in the case of Sauv v Canada, held the ban on prisoners voting rights as invalid. The UK government argued that disenfranchisement prevented crime and punished offenders, do to enhance the civic responsibility and respect for the rule of the law. It also argued that convicted prisone rs 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 chivalrous Europe .