Prisoner rights are basic human rights which many people
think should be accorded to prisoners. The argument is that even though
prisoners have been incarcerated for the commission of a crime, they are still
living human beings, and they therefore deserve human rights, just like all
other humans. Of special concern to some prisoner rights advocates are
prisoners of conscience and other individuals who may not belong in prison,
along with people who are imprisoned in nations where they are not citizens.
Some prisoner rights are not terribly controversial. For
example, most advocates agree that prisoners have the right to safe living
conditions, wholesome food, and medical care. Assault in prisons is a constant
problem, and addressing assaults and rapes is an important part of prisoner
rights advocacy. In addition, many advocates also believe that prisoners
deserve certain legal protections, including the right to an attorney, access
to the appeals process, the appeal to sue for better living conditions, and
other protections which are guaranteed to prisoners by law, but not necessarily
enforced.
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