Why not limit it to people who have passed a parole hearing and will be getting out fairly soon?

why not limit it to those who pay taxes?

"No representation without taxation"

Well that would take it away from many Tory donors. Great idea!

Why not use it as part of the overall rehabilitation of the prisoner?

I'm not sure how one would do that but surely, if we want criminals to become fully-integrated citizens, we need to educate them in the duties of citizenship, one of which is engagement with the political process.

I fully support that. I would even think that many who cannot read should be taught how to read and write, which would give them far more chances could get early release for successful completion of a literacy program.

I don't see why they should have the vote unless their sentence finished within teh lifetime of teh government that they would be voting for.
ie A man with a sentence with another six years to go can't vote in a general election as there would have to be another election before he is released.
A man with a sentence with another three years to go could vote as he'd be part of society again during the lifetime of that parliament.

I think that parole hearings could give the vote as a halfway house towards release. Only people close to release would be applicable.

Like other EU countries, change the law. You go to prison and whilst you are there, you lose the right to vote.
in the words of the meerkat.. simples. Problem solved.

Simples, you don't conform to society then you have no say in how society is formed. Is it really that difficult?

Well I agree with that. I can see it being allowed once a person has passed a parole hearing.