In the land of the free, a silent epidemic continues to erode the foundations of democracy — unjust disenfranchisement fueled by mass incarceration. As millions find themselves entangled in the web of the criminal justice system, their voices are muted, echoing the need for urgent awareness and action. Over two million individuals in prisons and jails in the US are denied the right to vote. A significant proportion of Black inmates, comprising 38.6% of the incarcerated population as of January 2024, perpetuates a profound injustice. The Sentencing Project, an advocacy group, reports that Black Americans are imprisoned at a rate five times higher than White Americans.
Mass incarceration deprives individuals of their freedom and democratic participation, with varying laws perpetuating a cycle of marginalization. In some cases, convicted felons lose their voting rights permanently, leaving them voiceless in decisions. County jails often house both individuals with and without voting rights, further exacerbating the issue. The Inclusive Democracy Act truly emerges as a fighting chance, aiming to grant incarcerated citizens the right to vote in federal elections, surpass state boundaries, and promote civic engagement within prison walls.
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At the forefront of this movement stands Amani Sawari, a social justice advocate and founder of SawariMedia. SawariMedia is dedicated to serving incarcerated and informally incarcerated citizens by writing articles on legislation affecting them, focusing on criminal justice reform, voting disenfranchisement, and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Amani, armed with expertise in policy analysis and digital strategy, founded SawariMedia in 2019. Hailing from Detroit, she graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Law, Economics & Public Policy, and Media Communication Studies. Her journey as the spokesperson for the 2018 National Prison Strike and coordinator of over 300 endorsing organizations underscores her commitment to amplifying the voices of incarcerated activists across the nation.
The Inclusive Democracy Act, a legislative milestone, holds the potential to reshape the landscape of voting rights for individuals behind bars. SawariMedia serves as a powerful ally in this endeavor, creating civic engagement media for these individuals and exposing the gaps in conditions that persist within the correctional system.
“The bill is influential and groundbreaking as it will really respond to people who are in prison,” asserts Amani, emphasizing the impact of the proposed legislation. The bill not only addresses disenfranchisement but also establishes a connection between the incarcerated community’s value as citizens and their influence on legislation and policies that directly impact them.
Senate Bill 2090 introduced in 2019, allowing Cook County jail to become a permanent polling location in Illinois, serves as a significant example of promoting voter participation among incarcerated individuals. This change dispels the myth that people in prison don’t care about voting, demonstrating that providing them with the opportunity can lead to increased civic engagement.
“Stripping rights simply because of a person’s incarceration status doesn’t serve their rehabilitative process. Instead, we should equip them to be engaged citizens, allowing them to function appropriately in society,” Amani states. “The people closest to a problem are the closest to the solution,” recalls Amani as JustLeadershipUSA’s slogan, emphasizing the importance of giving people the right to vote and express their needs. The value of punishment over actual rehabilitation in the correction system is skewing its effectiveness. When people are not given their rights, they are already being punished, such as being separated from their families, missing out on events, and missing out on common choices. Dehumanization, which does not work to rehabilitate or correct behavior, works to turn people away from correcting their behavior.
In a nation where the prison rates are so high, addressing the disproportionate treatment of marginalized citizens is very important, especially as they often face poverty, trauma, and a lack of resources to deal with it. With the bill being introduced, Amani Sawari envisions a heightened discussion around people with the right to vote in the first year. There are two ways to look at this issue: De Facto disenfranchisement (a legal concept used to refer to what happens in reality or in practice) and de jure disenfranchisement (from the law).
A more inclusive democracy would allow legislators, senators, representatives, and public officials to speak to people in prison, as they have no incentive to make the conditions better. For example, in Michigan, the first judicial candidate forum was held in a county jail. A debate among local county judges in jails exposed the impact of sentencing on citizens. Some judges struggled to communicate with jailed citizens, while others were able to. Understanding sentencing impacts and judges’ voting styles is pivotal.
As Sawari envisions the passing of the bill within the next five years, the focus remains on recognizing the invisible class of millions of incarcerated individuals. SawariMedia, through its various publications, like the Prisonality magazine, seeks to humanize those impacted by predatory state policies, offering a platform for community engagement, lower recidivism, and exposure to opportunities that aid in rehabilitation.
The organization proposes that public officials should be incentivized to support corrective actions in prisons. By promoting a better situation for everyone and addressing the negative connotations of voting rights, we can work towards a more effective correction system.
Amplifying the level of engagement in the system would help people in prison who need a wider variety of programs, jobs, and wages. Instead of elected representatives without access to large portions of their constituency having the final say, incarcerated individuals should have a direct path of communication with their legislators on what programs are, to influence change. By addressing these issues, we can create a more inclusive democracy to ensure that incarcerated individuals have the right to vote and access opportunities for their well-being.
