UCLA Criminal Justice Law Review

Though the United States is touted as a global beacon of equality, the Thirteenth Amendment engendered unequal citizenship through felony disenfranchisement legislation, which revokes the voting rights of convicted felons. This is a common and growing practice in the United States, as there were approximately one million disenfranchised individuals in 1976 compared to the approximate six million disenfranchised individuals in 2016. Ex-felony disenfranchisement should be prohibited in the United States, meaning felons should be restored the right to vote after the conclusion of their incarceration, parole, and probation.