convicted felons and lottery winnings

Reply #53

TheGameGrl — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 02:04:16 GMT

In spite of the overgeneralized question and the fact that its contingent on the actual guilt and crime, I do concur that if the rules of the lottery do not discriminate then why should the payor.

Stop using such ludicrious examples such as Ted Bundy or serial killers who are forbidden to make a dime off any convicted crime. They are extreme examples and are NOT allowed to purchase or lay claim thru the prison system to buy lottery tickets. Who would take them? They are serving life sentence... [ More ]

Reply #52

floridian — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 17:32:25 GMT

LOTTOMIKE

There, you have done it again, trying to make me think. Your posts are great. This one is so tough that it makes my head hurt and blood spurt out of my eyes. <G>

I suppose one could argue that when a person serves his time in prison he has satisfied his debt to society. Therefore, he should be able to buy and collect winnings from a Lottery. That is why I voted yes in your poll.

However, I also agree with other replies that the money should go to compensate the victims but... [ More ]

Reply #51

rdc137 — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 16:55:36 GMT

Before long it'll be a felony to buy a lottery ticket in another state.

Reply #50

justxploring — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 20:57:58 GMT

Misunderstanding. Sorry, RJOh.

When I was growing up, I used to hear all the time that prisoners made license plates. I also see them picking up trash along the highway. So I assume many of them do these odd jobs already, yes? It's important to make sure that state corruption doesn't allow certain busineses to take advantage of men who are incarcerated for their own profit. Maybe I watched Cool Hand Luke too many times or that movie where Robert Redford investigates corruption at a priso... [ More ]

Reply #49

RJOh — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 20:05:20 GMT

Until 1865, a lot of Americans thought a captive none criminal and none voluntary workforce with no rights, benefits or pay was a great idea and it made some of them rich. I was suggesting using a captive criminal voluntary workforce with rights, benefits and pay to help pay for their own up keep to save the average tax payer some money. If they did the jobs now done by low wage illegal immigrants or out sourced to poor countries, how would the average worker be worst off? Criminals are captiv... [ More ]

Reply #48

justxploring — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 19:10:48 GMT

Were you being sarcastic or serious? That's all we need! The average worker has a difficult time getting a good wage as it is with all the outsourcing at so many companies. Then you've got entire industries, like the furniture business, that send most of the assembly jobs to China, or how about the clothing and shoe manufacturers? Then the illegal immigrants came along and accepted low wages without benefits, so the common laborer had to lower his price for jobs like home improvement, construc... [ More ]

Reply #47

RJOh — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 18:38:45 GMT

There are families who's head of household makes half that and is expected to pay taxes too. If that's true maybe more criminals should be sentenced to a job rather than a prison. Maybe prisons should be fenced in factories with barracks, then states could be build more prisons to raise money rather than starting lotteries.

Reply #46

justxploring — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 05:58:49 GMT

So if someone is in prison for 10 years, when he gets out you expect him to owe $400,000? What about 15 or 20 years? It's unrealistic. The most important thing someone can do is to stay straight, live a good life, and give back to the community.

Reply #45

rcallahan6880 — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 04:19:47 GMT

I was being serious about prisoners paying theri own way. it cost tax payers 40,000 a year to keep them in there.

Reply #44

justxploring — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 21:11:43 GMT

However, as long as prisons are funded by taxes and until criminals begin paying for their own room and board, I don't think they should be allowed to purchase tickets while incarcerated.

rcallahan - If you are referring to my post, then you read it too quickly. I do that too, and it's very common for a person to take bits and pieces from each comment and respond to all of them. However, if you go back and read exactly what I said, I never suggested that a criminal should pay for his/her own... [ More ]

Reply #43

RJOh — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 21:06:07 GMT

Rip Snorter writes:

In 1964, I was arrested riding a freight-car in Rochester, NY. Hoboing. I had no idea it was a felony. Spent some time in jail and was eventually released, but it could have easily gone the other way. I had the right skin color, was wearing a University of New Mexico sweatshirt, which was a novelty in those days.... judge got conversational and I good-old-boyed him enough so they turned me loose with a warning......I could have just as easily spent the last 40 years as... [ More ]

Reply #42

rcallahan6880 — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 19:56:30 GMT

I agree with doing away with rapest and murders, but the whole thing about not having cable tv or use of the internet makes me think that you are very close minded. I'm a convicted felon. I was convicted on a drug charge 7 years ago along with several other charges when I was younger. I now have a degree from a prominant University and haven't even had a traffic violation in the last six years. I believe if you are imprisoned you should have to pay for room and board, either by working for the p... [ More ]

Reply #41

Rip Snorter — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 01:33:49 GMT

A worthy reply

Reply #40

BaristaExpress — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 01:21:33 GMT

Dang Rip, you are a funny one, yes indeed.

Reply #39

Rip Snorter — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 00:15:02 GMT

Mmm that's like saying that a felon that has done his time should have the right to vote restored!

Actually, it ain't even remotely akin to the right to vote.

On the other hand, I'd be in favor of removing the right to vote from a lot of non-felons, while still allowing them the right to buy lottery tickets.

Dang only god knows with that much money at hand what it would finance! I shutter at the thought.

You have a point. Ex-convicts might spang get us into a war with almost any... [ More ]

Reply #38

BaristaExpress — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 23:54:27 GMT

Mmm that's like saying that a felon that has done his time should have the right to vote restored! I don't think so! So with that said, No they shouldn't be able to collect a big multi million dollar jackpot like MM or PB! Dang only god knows with that much money at hand what it would finance! I shutter at the thought.

Reply #37

Rip Snorter — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 05:14:18 GMT

JustX:

I'm sorry you deleted it. That's one I'd definitely have liked to read.

J

Reply #36

justxploring — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 04:56:11 GMT

I just typed a long post to answer all 3 of you and then I deleted it. This isn't my board and I don't want to abuse it to express my personal and political viewpoints. I had no idea the last post was so long until I hit post reply. I am being misunderstood here, however. I never said that all felons were the same if you read my first post on this thread. In fact, I got my hands slapped for saying there were different classes of crime. One thing I will argue is that a drunk driver who kills... [ More ]

Reply #35

Rip Snorter — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 02:49:07 GMT

Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on July 9, 2006 I'm really not trying to be argumentative, since you can tell from one of my previous posts that I do believe there are different classes of criminal behavior. However, let's say that person who drove a car into a crowd on July 4th at a boat race in Indiana was drunk. (I haven't followed up on that story.) Are the people he killed and maimed any less dead or crippled than if he had angrily driven his car into a crowd of onlookers just for... [ More ]

Reply #34

orangeman — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 02:21:35 GMT

A friend of mine was in charge of the food service for the prison system in Angola, Louisiana. He was NOT a prisoner, by the way. He worked for a company that serviced the prison system down there. Part of his job was to hire kitchen help and that is what he told me. His statements surprised me, too.

Like I said, the decision to withhold lottery winnings should be made on a case by case basis. We have so many former prisoners in the American population that we need to consider these issu... [ More ]

Reply #33

truecritic — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 01:25:32 GMT

I'm really not trying to be argumentative, since you can tell from one of my previous posts that I do believe there are different classes of criminal behavior. However, let's say that person who drove a car into a crowd on July 4th at a boat race in Indiana was drunk. (I haven't followed up on that story.) Are the people he killed and maimed any less dead

No argument - I understand you (or at least I think I do).

Not sure you understood my explanation. Of course dead by any means is dead... [ More ]

Reply #32

justxploring — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 01:03:52 GMT

I'm really not trying to be argumentative, since you can tell from one of my previous posts that I do believe there are different classes of criminal behavior. However, let's say that person who drove a car into a crowd on July 4th at a boat race in Indiana was drunk. (I haven't followed up on that story.) Are the people he killed and maimed any less dead or crippled than if he had angrily driven his car into a crowd of onlookers just for the heck of it?

Well, it's 9 so it's time for Law O... [ More ]

Reply #31

truecritic — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:31:39 GMT

justxploring

Just heard it on TV tonite...a man in NY was convicted of 2nd degree murder. So he will be serving "hard time" although he wasn't baking cookies prior to killing the person, he was just "a guy." So how did he become a murderer? Drunk driving.

And there are many cases such as this one. It doesn't mean a person has to be a hit man or part of a gang to kill someone. They all get thrown into the same prisons.

That's not support for murder or drunk driving but it does ill... [ More ]

Reply #30

justxploring — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 00:06:27 GMT

Murderers, according to friends I have in the Amarillo guard force, are some of the finest and most trustworthy people in the joint.

Please tell me you typed that tongue-in-cheek! I started to rant until I realized you must have written the above comment facetiously, because calling a murderer a model prisoner is like...I can't use the words on this board. Grrrr. Consider the source. If you wandered into a quarantined ward for people with contagious diseases and someone told you that the... [ More ]

Reply #29

orangeman — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 22:18:51 GMT

Someone convicted of a property crime may serve the general good of society by winning the lottery IF he or she manages their affairs properly. They would have so much money they may never commit another crime. In other words, pay them not to steal. The state should set up an annuity for these folks so they won't spend it all at once. Of course, the same could be said for Jack Whitaker and the rest of the winners who squandered their winnings on wine, women and song.

Most burglars steal t... [ More ]

Reply #28

orangeman — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 22:08:06 GMT

A lot of people convinced of property crimes would probably benefit from

Reply #27

pumpi76 — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 23:00:59 GMT

i disagree with all of you all...

Specially the comment about what's the difference between robbery murder...

Anyways....

....In a way, the stock market and taxes are a form of lottery...

Reply #26

justxploring — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 22:52:18 GMT

No classes of crime? Oy! I hope if I get stopped for making an illegal U-turn the deputy doesn't feel that way. One day I'm baking cookies and the next I'm serving hard time.

I won't get into any lengthy discussion here about what the Bible means or doesn't mean..just not my style. However, it also says you should pluck out your eye and cut off other body parts if they offend you. Half the posters on LP would be in a lot of pain right now if that were taken literally.

By saying people... [ More ]

Reply #25

SirMetro — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 20:39:57 GMT

so many classes of crime

Perhaps I am wrong, but in the bible, is it not written that If you break one commandment, you have broken them all ?

Why must we, as a society accept the concept of varying levels of crime? Sorry, but if an embezzeler or an online theif takes money from the Company I work for, I want that person charged with attempted murder of me, my coworkers and all the associated families. Because as far as I am concerned, that person stole from the Company, which makes it d... [ More ]

Reply #24

SirMetro — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 20:27:57 GMT

A few states actually enforce this concept. Too bad GA is not one of them. About a year or so ago, a criminal was captured while breaking into a store one nite. The sad part was, this same idiot had won the $1000 a week for life just a month earlier. The State's response when questioned was, The monies will be paid to an account until such time the prisoner is released . No restitution, no fines, no reimbursement to the state for cost of incarceration.

By the way, if I am not mistakened, Fe... [ More ]

Reply #23

Lotto Psychic — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 16:58:28 GMT

most convicted felons cant find good paying work anyway , so if lady luck shines down upon them with millions of dollars in lottery winnings, they should be able to collect. maybe with their newfound winnings they can decide to turn over a new leaf and etc etc. who knows.

Reply #22

justxploring — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 16:36:03 GMT

Quote: Originally posted by bellyache on July 1, 2006 People may disagree with me but I beleive if you have served your time and you are free you should be able to collect lottery winnings. Why not? If they are still allowed to put a dollar in then they should be able to collect if they win. If people don't want convicted felons to play make it a law that they can't legally purchase tickets and collect winnings.

I didn't respond at first because I wasn't sure if the question refers to peo... [ More ]

Reply #21

truecritic — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 14:21:42 GMT

If image does not display, it may have been removed.

Reply #20

pumpi76 — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 07:05:30 GMT

I would be really outraged if convicted people couldn't play the lottery? if you can play, then you can win. Not allowing these people to play or win is called: discrimination...If they didn't let this people play or collect their winning then they will be treating this people like i don't know what..I feel that a lot worse is allowing cigarettes to exist, since they would be skinned alive by keno or Powerball anyways...

...More important than winning all the states' lotteries is... [ More ]

Reply #19

LckyLary — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 02:23:35 GMT

It should depend on 1. if they have served their time and paid their debt to society then they should be allowed after that. and 2. what the nature of the felony was. Did they download an mp3 for their grandkid and get caught or did they murder 10 people during an armed robbery

Reply #18

ohiopick3 — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 02:06:12 GMT

Why not, they are people willing to take the chance. Just like most of us.

Their dollar is as good as ours

Reply #17

Coin Toss — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 01:30:29 GMT

MillionsWanted

That's not a bad idea at all. I think there have been actual cases where welfare recipients who have won a lottery had to pay back what they had received in welfare up to that point.

That being the case.....

Reply #16

MillionsWanted — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 00:23:59 GMT

They should receive it only to get the whole amount confiscated and given to their victims.

That's better than just deny them the winnings.

Reply #15

Rick G — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 00:06:24 GMT

Their buck is as good as mine. Society will take care of the felony aspect. Lottery proceeds do not enter the equation.

Reply #14

PadawanLotto — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 23:54:43 GMT

Quote: Originally posted by konane on July 1, 2006 Yes, absolutely they should be allowed to collect.

They should receive a net amount after all state cost to incarcerate plus all other fines, restitution charges related to crimes they've committed.

If there's anything left over then let them have at it.

It seems to me that there was such a case some years ago and that person did receive his lotto winnin... [ More ]

Reply #13

Jorli D — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 23:51:24 GMT

Quote: Originally posted by bellyache on July 1, 2006 People may disagree with me but I beleive if you have served your time and you are free you should be able to collect lottery winnings. Why not? If they are still allowed to put a dollar in then they should be able to collect if they win. If people don't want convicted felons to play make it a law that they can't legally purchase tickets and collect winnings.

I agree with you Bellyache. Despite your crime, if you win you should collect.... [ More ]

Reply #12

Coin Toss — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 23:18:21 GMT

Any lottery that would accept someone's money for a ticket and then refuse to pay them would probably be sued and then shut down. And rightfully so.

Remeber the poll about illegal immigrants hitting a jackpot?

If they accept they bet they are legally implying they will make good op the payoff.

Of course, there probably have been cases like this where the real winner sent in a beard .

Reply #11

bellyache — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 17:19:25 GMT

People may disagree with me but I beleive if you have served your time and you are free you should be able to collect lottery winnings. Why not? If they are still allowed to put a dollar in then they should be able to collect if they win. If people don't want convicted felons to play make it a law that they can't legally purchase tickets and collect winnings.

Reply #10

konane — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 14:21:01 GMT

Yes, absolutely they should be allowed to collect.

They should receive a net amount after all state cost to incarcerate plus all other fines, restitution charges related to crimes they've committed.

If there's anything left over then let them have at it.

Reply #9

dvdiva — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 14:09:38 GMT

If you buy lottery tickets online than you would stand a chance of being a convicted felon in the corrupt state of WA. I think I'd just skip out of the US if I hit it big. It really depends on what the state or country considers a felon to be.

Reply #8

GeorgiaPlayer — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 13:32:44 GMT

play on those politics are crazy

Reply #7

Rip Snorter — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 12:01:40 GMT

Most of the convicted felons in the US committed crimes without victims. They'd have to find another use for the money.

If convicted felons couldn't win the lottery those prize values wouldn't grow nearly so fast because there'd be a lot fewer players in most states.

Probably it's a good idea anyway. Puts more money into the general coffers to help pay for more prisons.

J

Reply #6

goldrush — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 10:45:55 GMT

A man who won 9.7m on the National Lottery has been jailed for five months for breaching a court order.

Magistrates in Swaffham, Norfolk, told Michael Carroll, 21, he had failed to comply with a drugs treatment and testing order.

Carroll was told to complete the order in March after he admitted possessing cocaine worth 1,500. He admitted breaching the order last month.

The treatment order consisted of twice-weekly drugs tests.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/norfolk

Reply #5

goldrush — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 10:42:02 GMT

Ministers 'cannot block' 7m win

The Home Office has played down a suggestion that the government could stop a convicted rapist receiving his 7m lottery win.

Iorworth Hoare, nearing the end of a life term for attempted rape, bought his winning ticket on day release.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell had seemed to suggest the government might intervene in Hoare's case to make sure his money went to victims.

But the Home Office has now insisted that cannot be done.

http://news.b... [ More ]

Reply #4

goldrush — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 10:39:53 GMT

The money should be used to compensate the victims of their crimes. Any remaining revenue should be confiscated to pay for their prison costs.

There was a case in the UK, were a convicted rapist won 7 million pounds, he bought the lottery ticket while out on day release. His victims sues but got nowhere. I think the law was changed after that.

Reply #3

LOTTOMIKE — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:37:26 GMT

i thought it would be a good poll.i agree with you.i don't think that someone should have to give up the right to buy a lottery ticket just because they had a quarter of weed on them or was drinking a beer and driving at 4am when the road was deserted.even if they passed bad checks or stole a television after they get out of jail they should have the right.a lot of times i just do these polls to see how most people think.its interesting sometimes to see the outcome.......

Reply #2

paurths — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:30:11 GMT

Hi Mike,

i find this a pretty strange question.

I've read about it several times, here at LP and on other forums, and never quite gave it some thought.

Always figured why not?

But now you mention Ted Bundy, i immediatly think of Dutroux, who abducted, raped and killed children.

For me such persons should not be allowed very much anymore, put them away and throw away the key. So i guess they would not be able to collect any winnings, let alone play the lottery.

But then there other... [ More ]

Reply #1

LOTTOMIKE — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 07:18:08 GMT

just imagine if ted bundy would've been allowed to play mega millions.just think of what he could do with his new toys,lol.........

convicted felons and lottery winnings

LOTTOMIKE — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 06:35:32 GMT

should a convicted felon be allowed to claim lottery winnings