America's Disenfranchised, Why Restoring Their Vote Can Save the Soul of Our Democracy

Author

Meade; Desmond

Year

2021

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Language

English

Pages

ISBN

978-1-50176-374-8

Link

Last Update

13-Apr-2026

Keywords

Political Science ; Peace & Conflict Studies

Description

Like a lot of people, I spent very little time contemplating the connection between law, criminal justice, and democracy. It wasn’t until I had a direct experience of punishment for breaking the law and becoming an advocate for change—ultimately leading a campaign for constitutional reform in Florida—that I was able to thread the needle between all three. Civic, political, and social life in the United States is governed by statutes that most of us seldom consider unless we are directly confronted by their consequences for ourselves and others. Yet I also believe that the infiltration of partisanship in...