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More Than 115,000 Florida Felons Regain Civil Rights

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: Crime & Justice News

"More than 115,000 people with felony records have

regained their civil rights in the 14 months since he

pushed for changes in Florida's civil rights restoration

system, reports the St. Petersburg Times. They

regained their rights under a system that allows many

non-violent ex-offenders to qualify without a hearing,

as long as they have completed probation, have no

pending criminal charges, and have paid restitution to

victims.

'Forgiveness is very, very important,' Gov. Charlie

Crist told a gathering of civil rights activists, prison

officials and legislators. 'Who doesn't deserve a

second chance?' Crist spoke at a "Restoration of

Rights Summit" sponsored by the state Department of

Corrections with a grant from the Annie E. Casey

Foundation. As the numbers of those who can register

to vote swell, they have the potential to be a factor in

the 2008 presidential election. About 25,000 won't

have their rights restored until Crist and three cabinet

members sign documents that will entitle all of those

ex-offenders to a legal certificate confirming their new

status. Crist led a move to dismantle Florida's Jim

Crow-era laws, perpetuated by Democrats for

decades, to erect lifelong barriers to ex-offenders

seeking to regain their civil rights. Some experts say

the restoration machinery is hampered by budget cuts

at the Florida Parole Commission and a requirement

that applicants for clemency undergo a cumbersome

background check to determine whether their eligibility

to hold a state license would pose a risk."

St. Petersburg Times - http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001iRDz8EdqRYK7mo2tnqRiYZolIz2ghpOVYMArsRdFzUCg6KzUTJAoqBmwd6ojRiwTMhOHp5kSMyneEZXBveS10NW9qJxL71VUni6qBIlNjPmVPCqpeJtqzNY2Ir27fIw8scUDAzjesqa_eGM6h7dywJd5kccQxGCcKIXeFhXzkdk=

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on June 18, 2008 (boomark / email).