One in 32 American adults are now behind bars, on probation or on parole.

Maybe part of the problem is that 5.3 million Americans have lost their right to vote because of having been convicted of felonies. Many of these people have already served their sentences and are technically “free,” but cannot recover their right to vote.

These ex-felons have been through the criminal justice system, served the proverbial debt to society, and can’t vote. Maybe if they could, they would help us choose politicians who would reform the system. Our current slate of politicians always seem to advocate a longer sentences for more and more crimes, but won’t allocate money to build and fund more prisons (some of which are at 200% capacity). It’s not working.

Personally, unless they are convicted of treason, I don’t think any American citizen should ever lose the right to vote. Stripping citizens of the right to vote is not a power that should be used so lightly.