African American Felon Disenfranchisement: Case Studies in Modern Racism and Political Exclusion
June 2013
ISBN-13: 978-1-59332-601-2 / Hardcover
Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 / xviii, 234 pages
"A wonderful, detailed, and innovative book...incredibly timely and valuable...for the layperson who wants to better understand the impact of disenfranchisement laws on the African American population, but it is also a valuable source for the scholar interested in race, law, and politics. Summing up: Highly recommended. All readership levels." -- Choice
A Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2014
Utilizing a field study on felons that were within one year of completing incarceration, Pinkard analyzes the legal history, constitutionality, conflicting laws, political, and life chance consequences of felon disenfranchisement laws on African American felons and the African American community. Research and data presented in this book indicate that: felon disenfranchisement is based on moralistic beliefs, modern racism, and stereotypes about human differences and that permanent political marginalization of a particular segment of American society not only negates democracy in principle by diluting voter participation and equal representation but also assures the debasement of specific segments of society and the life chances of African Americans in particular.