NYC wants to erase the word 'inmate' because it is undignified

BS BRIEF:

NYC’s Board of Correction wants to replace the word “inmate” with “person in custody” throughout its regulations as part of a broader push toward person-first language.
The proposal follows New York State’s 2022 decision to replace terms such as “inmate,” “felon,” and “convict” in state law with less stigmatizing alternatives.
Why it matters: The debate has become another flashpoint in the larger fight over criminal justice policy, with supporters calling it a matter of dignity while critics argue city leaders are focusing on terminology instead of public safety.

NYC JAIL BOARD MOVES TO DITCH THE WORD ‘INMATE’ IN FAVOR OF ‘PEOPLE IN CUSTODY’

New York City’s latest criminal justice debate isn’t about bail reform, sentencing laws or prison conditions. This time, it’s about vocabulary.

The city’s Board of Correction has proposed rewriting its rules to eliminate the words “inmate” and “inmates,” replacing them more than 300 times with the phrases “person in custody” and “people in custody.” The move is part of a years-long effort by city and state officials to adopt what they describe as “person-first language” throughout New York’s correctional system.

According to the proposed rule, the Board said it committed in 2021 to updating its communications and Minimum Standards by “deleting references to inmates in favor of person-first terms such as people in custody,” while also incorporating gender-inclusive language.

Advocates supporting the change argue labels such as “inmate” can stigmatize individuals and reduce them to their incarceration status rather than recognizing them as people first.

The proposal builds on legislation signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022 that replaced words including “inmate,” “convict,” “felon,” and “prisoner” with alternatives such as “incarcerated individual” in portions of New York law. At the time, Hochul said, “Individuals impacted by the criminal justice system have long noted that terms such as felon, inmate, prisoner, and convict dehumanize individuals and perpetuate the idea that incarcerated people should be permanently demonized and stigmatized.”

The latest proposal arrives amid continuing efforts to close Rikers Island and transition New York City to a borough-based jail system, a process city officials say remains a long-term priority despite construction delays and ongoing operational challenges. Recent Board of Correction reports continue referring to “people in custody” throughout official documents.

The terminology debate also follows renewed attention on Mayor Zohran Mamdani after his recent visit to Rikers Island during a FIFA World Cup watch event. Speaking afterward, Mamdani said, “The World Cup has been a magical moment for the entire city. These are New Yorkers, and they will be New Yorkers when they get out of Rikers.”

Supporters say the updated language reflects respect and human dignity. Critics counter that changing terminology does little to address violent crime, jail safety, staffing shortages or conditions inside correctional facilities.

MY TAKE:

Changing the dictionary has become one of government’s favorite hobbies.

New York still has overcrowded jails. It still has staffing problems. It still has an expensive and behind-schedule plan to replace Rikers Island. But apparently the emergency of the day is finding a kinder, gentler noun.

If politicians could reduce crime as quickly as they rewrite vocabulary, Gotham would look like Mayberry.

Here’s the thing: calling someone an “inmate” doesn’t put them in jail. A judge and a conviction—or a criminal charge with detention—does that. Swapping syllables doesn’t make the streets safer, doesn’t help victims, and doesn’t recruit another correction officer willing to work one of the toughest jobs in America.

Language matters. So do priorities. New Yorkers will probably decide which matters more.

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