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Barriers to the Ballot: Criminal Disenfranchisement Laws

1h 3m

Created on April 11, 2016

Intermediate

Overview

An estimated 5.85 million U.S. citizens have been denied the right to vote due to a criminal conviction. Criminal disenfranchisement has grown with mass incarceration – from 1.17 million citizens in 1976 to 3.34 million citizens in 1996 – and broadly impacts the composition of the electorate in local, state and federal elections.

 

This course examines the prevalence and impact of criminal disenfranchisement laws in the United States. The discussion provides an overview of the issue of disenfranchisement following a criminal conviction, the history of criminal disenfranchisement laws, and the disproportionate impact of such laws on racial minorities. The course compares disenfranchisement laws among states, and outlines recent developments in states’ disenfranchisement rules. The course also includes a discussion of federal and state court challenges to disenfranchisement laws, and recent developments in criminal disenfranchisement within the Executive and Legislative branches.

 

Learning Objectives:

I.     Understand the history of criminal disenfranchisement in the U.S.

II.   Assess how criminal disenfranchisement impacts the modern electorate

III.   Identify the structure of states’ various disenfranchisement laws

IV.   Provide guidance on recent court challenges to disenfranchisement laws and developments within the Executive and Legislative branches

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