An estimated 5.85 million Americans were legally excluded from voting due to disenfranchisement in 2010 (Chung, 2014, p.1 ). Merriam-Webster (n.d.) defined disenfranchisement as “depriving a right to vote, a legal right, or some privilege or immunity; above all: depriving people of the right to vote." The justification for disenfranchising criminals was based on an ideology that committing a crime demonstrated a lack of judgment that carried over into the criminal's political voice: therefore criminals could not be allowed to vote, for the sake of society. However, such a simplistic justification for disenfranchisement failed to take into account the multitude of factors involved in incarceration rates and the goal of rehabilitation. Once their debt to society is repaid, criminals must be granted the fundamental American right to suffrage. The ideology surrounding disenfranchisement People have different ideas about the nature of voting in the United States and whether it is a responsibility, a privilege, or a right. According to Searcy, a study conducted in 2006 found that the majority of people surveyed believe that voting is a privilege or responsibility, but not a right because they believe that calling it a right connotes an entitlement, denying the sacrifices of previous generations (2011) . The problem with that logic is that a privilege isn't for everyone, it's only for a lucky few. A responsibility denotes a duty: voting as a responsibility would resemble a binding act. A right is something that people are willing to fight and die for. A right, as described by the founding fathers of the United States, is inalienable. Therefore, to properly recognize the sacrifices that were made for America...... middle of paper......ote: Disenfranchisement by theft in the South, 1874-1890. Journal of Southern History, 75(4), 931-962.Manza, J. & Uggen, C. (2002). Democratic contraction: Political consequences of disenfranchisement in the United States. American Sociological Review, Vol.67, No.6 777-803.Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Deprivation of civil rights. Retrieved May 30, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disenfranchiseSearcy, D. (2011). Vote: a right, privilege, or responsibility. Retrieved May 31, 2014, from http://www.fairvote.org/research-and-analysis/blog/voting-a-right-a-privilege-or-a-responsibility/The Sentencing Project. (2014). Facts about prisons and people in prison. Retrieved May 31, 2014, from http://sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/inc_Facts%20About%20Prisons.pdfSyrett, H. (1962). The papers of Alexander Hamilton. New York: Columbia University Press.