Prisoners shouldn't be allowed to vote in Korea
In Korea, there was very serious and terrible accident, the sinking of Sewol Ferry, last April. Many people have criticized government's action about this terrible accident. Also, the Commissioner of the Jeju police agency committed sexual assaults and has been criticized. To prevent these corruption of high-ranking government officials, people should elect right person as officials. In this situation, should prisoners be allowed to vote? Actually, prisoners who committed serious crimes and were sentenced to more than three years are likely to reoffend. Then, should we believe them one more time? I can't believe their judgement and think they can bring confusion in our society. Thus, prisoners should not be allowed to vote.
In 2005, Court of the United Kingdom allowed prisoners to vote. John hirst who committed a terrible crime that he had killed people using ax insisted prisoners are also citizens and have right to vote. Government and citizens of the United Kingdom didn't want to accept his opinion, but John hirst brought this issue to European Court. Finally, he made prisoners in the United Kingdom vote for public officials. However, in United Kingdom there are still some voices that it isn't right to allow prisoners to vote. In fact, in Korea we have only allowed criminals who were released from prison to vote. But I'm afraid that Korea government will also allow prisoners to vote.
Prisoners always insisted that they are also citizens and have right as a citizen. But I want to say that prisoners already destroyed social contract by committing crimes. Therefore, they must not mention citizen's rights. Also, prisoners were sent to prison by considering that they cannot function as a normal person and make correct thinking. According to one article, prisoners are sent to prison to be monitored, thus allowing them to vote is too much treatment for them who committed crimes and were sent to prison.
Furthermore, prisoners should not be believed that they can make also correct thinking. If they can think correctly, did they commit a crime? Of course, there can be some people who say they can commit crime inadvertently. It can be. However, if criminals commit a crime inadvertently, they can get free or be sentenced to less than three years after becoming accepted.
What's more, candidates may use right to vote of prisoners improperly. If prisoners can vote for public officials, candidates will try to make them cast a vote for them. Then, to make them do that, candidates may suggest favorable laws for prisoners. Finally, criminals will be punished less severely than before, and therefore a crime rate will increase inevitably. It may bring social confusion, and terrible accidents can be reoccur, such as the sinking of Sewol Ferry. Therefore, it is too generous policy to allow prisoners to vote.
In fact, many people believe that criminals are also citizens. They say that even though criminals committed felony, they are still citizens of their home country. Of course, they were citizens, but not at all after they commit a crime. Thus, I absolutely oppose this idea. Criminals destroyed their rights as citizens by committing a crime. Also, they violated other people's right to live like a human being. According to people who believe criminals are also citizens, we should also regard serial killers as citizens and allow them to vote for our president who should look after for five years. I can't agree their opinion at all and I think criminals gave up their rights as citizens since committing a crime.
Moreover, some people say prison has a function of rehabilitation, thus we should allow prisoners to vote. I agree prison's function. But need we allow prisoners to vote? In fact we already allow criminals who get out of prison to vote. In prison term, they can take time for self-reflection and be rehabilitated. Therefore, I think people who get out of prison can think correctly and deserve right to vote. However, prisoners who were monitored in prison and locked away not to do wrong actions need to have some time to rehabilitate themselves. Therefore, allowing prisoners to vote is too early choice.
Nowadays, many people in various states insist prisoners also have right to vote as a citizen. Actually, I also believed them just lately. However, after learning some serious social issues, I realized that corruption of Korean government are prevalent and these occur because of failure of election. Therefore, I learned we should elect public officials carefully. After thinking like this, I can believe that prisoners in Korea should not be allowed to vote, because prisoners already lose their rights after crimes, prisoners who committed serious and terrible crimes can't think as normal person, thus making wrong decisions and candidates can try to plan favorable laws for prisoners to get votes. What I insist is directly relevant to social stability. Thus to consider it is really right decision is very important.
