I Felon Disenfranchisement Student Name – Timothy Bender Instructor Name - Petersilia Course Name – California Prison Reform Semester course taught - Autumn 2005-2006 Date of Submission – Friday, January 27, 2006 Abstract: This paper will examine the large-scale, societal implications of felon disenfranchisement in the US. Felon disenfranchisement, as currently practiced, violates the treaty obligations of the US under the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights. There is also good reason to expect that it aggravates the danger of factions and exposes law-makers to strong incentives to favor punitive policies. While felon disenfranchisement did not play a role in determining the results of the 2004 California State Assembly elections, its incentive effects ex ante remain significant. California Sentencing & Corrections Policy Series Stanford Criminal Justice Center Working Paper. Distributed for Review and Comment only. Do not cite without author's permission.
