Think Outside the Cage: Jailhouses Rock The Vote

Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Jailhouses Rock The Vote

In Colorado you are not allowed to vote when you are on parole or are serving time for a felony. Those awaiting trial in county jails are allowed to vote.

The audience, admittedly, was captive. But in a year of record turnouts for the presidential primaries, perhaps no place saw a bigger uptick in voter registration than Los Angeles County jails.

At least 917 inmates registered to vote over the last month, said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore. Of those, 881 filled out applications to vote by absentee ballot in the California primary.

LA TIMES