Ohio Prison Project

SECOND CLASS CITIZENS A second class citizen is a term used to describe a person who is systematically discriminated against within the state or other political, social, or economical settings, despite their status as a citizen or legal resident there. This discrimination is a continuation of punishment by the state against those convicted of felony or misdemeanor offenses; regardless of the correlation or the time since the offense occurred. Accepting responsibility and displaying genuine remorse; something we do and have done, isn't the issue: Continuing punishment is. Any citizen purposely excluded from the privileges, rights and benefits of citizenry is a second class citizen. Second-class citizens have limited legal rights, civil rights and economic opportunities, and are often subject to mistreatment or neglect at the hands of their putative superiors whether it be in the form of housing denial, employment denial or acceptance in a social service program. Instead of being protected by the law, the law disregards a second-class citizen, or it may actually be used to push a person further to the fringes of society. Second-class citizenry is generally regarded as a violation of human rights. Typical impediments facing second-class citizens include, but are not limited to, disenfranchisement (lack or loss of voting rights), limitations on civil (political office) or military service (not including conscription in every case), as well as restrictions on language, religion, education, freedom of movement and association, weapons ownership, employment, marriage, housing, property ownership, parental rights, driving privileges, licensure in various trades, occupations or professions. Second class citizenship is civil death.

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