Voting rights: Make criminals pay debts in full 

A convicted criminal who pays his debt to society “in full” should have his right to vote restored. But we do need to define what the term “in full” means.

Release from confinement is not payment in full. It’s a step in the path. Completion of parole also may or may not complete payment in full.

Taking a human life or committing sex crimes should permanently limit one’s right to vote. Treason should be another forever exception.

If the original sentence involved restitution, then the right to vote should not be granted until the restitution is paid in full, down to the last penny. Along those lines, if this convicted criminal has any government funds coming, such as an IRS refund, it should help repay the restitutional debt.

Currently, the state Department of Corrections isn’t responsible to see that restitution is paid. If court-ordered payments aren’t made, the debt is simply turned over to a collection agency and no further payment by the courts is demanded.

In other words, the debt is unofficially forgiven and restitution never paid. And that, in itself, is criminal.

This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 3:50 PM with the headline "Voting rights: Make criminals pay debts in full ."