homeaboutprogramsexpertspublicationsadvocacyeventsnewsroomProjects & AffiliatesGet updatesDonate
A Prison is Not a Home: The Lesson of People v. Cady
A Prison is Not a Home: The Lesson of People v. Cady
Census practices should reflect nearly 100 years of legal precedent and start counting incarcerated persons as residents of the their home communities.
December 21, 2009
By Brenda Wright Susan Gershon
Download the PDF | Request a Hardcopy

When drawing legislative districts, New York State counts incarcerated persons as "residents" of the community where the prison is located, instead of counting them in the home community to which they will return, on average, within 34 months. This practice ignores more than 100 years of legal precedent holding that incarcerated persons cannot be considered "residents" of a prison for purposes of voting.

PREVIEW THIS FACT SHEET


Tags: Felon Disfranchisement Incarceration Prisons and the Census

News & Press

Prisons, Redistricting and the Census
The Census Bureau struck a blow for electoral fairness recently when it decided to speed up publication of its data on prison populations to ensure it is available for the next round of redistricting.
February 11, 2010
New Option for the States on Inmates in the Census
The Census Bureau has agreed to give states a tool that would count prison populations as residents of their home districts.
February 11, 2010
States Get New Leeway to Tally Prisoners in Census
Prisoners will soon be bigger players in those high-stakes redistricting fights thanks to a change in federal policy governing how they're to be counted in the 2010 census.
February 11, 2010

[ 220 Fifth Ave., 5th Flr. New York, NY 10001 | 212.633.1405 | info@demos.org ]
Home | About | Contact | Newsroom | Privacy Policy | Reprint Permission