When have you paid your debt to society?

[dbartucci]

Here's my question:

If a person completes their sentence for the crime they committed does the government have a right to place restrictions on that person when they're released?

Does it matter what the nature of the crime was? If so why?

If the goal of our justice system is rehabilitation, then once someone is released can we say they have been rehabilitated? If they are rehabilitated then why do we need restrictions? If that person is not rehabilitated what is reasonable with respect to public safety vs. personal privacy? Or should ex-cons lose the ability to have a private life and rebuild their life following their release because their crime was heinous in nature?

In Canada, the maximum sentence you can receive is "life". "In Canada, life imprisonment is mandatory for murder. The non-parole period is 25 years for 1st degree murder, and for 2nd degree murder, the non-parole period ranges between 10 and 25 years. If a non-parole period is more than 15 years, the prisoner can apply to the National Parole Board for parole consideration after 15 years. Other crimes, including robbery, rape and burglary, have a maximum sentence of life. In these cases, the non-parole period is seven years." However, a new status, Long-Term Offender status can mean that "if the court finds an offender to be a long-term offender, the offender will be given a sentence of imprisonment of at least two years, followed by a period of supervision in the community not exceeding 10 years. "

And Dangerous Offenders, which is resereved for the worst criminals, is an indeterminate (read: forever) sentence.

 

[skicrush]

I don't htink most people understand the restrictions placed on convicted felons. They are prohibited from carrying firearms and voting (though some states have actually given them that right back, at least for state elections), and they can be prohibited from using porn, drinking alcohol, and certain offenders must have their addresses disclosed in a public forum so their neighbors can be made aware of their proximity (sex offenders, in particular). They are also forever required to disclose that information on any job application they ever fill out. Some of those things are harder to enforce, but that is hardly a comprehensive list of things that can be required of the ex-convict.

All of which I completely support, if the parole board determines that certain restricitons will help keep them out of situations where they will be more likely to offend again. They have demonstrated that they cannot be trusted to adhere to society's limitations, and therefore need artificial limitations imposed upon them.