Why Is the Word “Felon” Leaving Our Vocabulary?

“Every formerly incarcerated individual has the potential to achieve their dreams if they have the proper support.” – Daryl Atkinson, Forward Justice, North Carolina

Stigmatizing words and labels – the traditional language of incarceration – inflict unnecessary additional harms that our organization and other organizations in the justice-system reform space are devoted to end. Using words and phrases that define people by their potential and their possibilities – not solely on their past – helps provide psychological support to successful reentry.

At LINC, Inc., in our conversations, in our printed materials, and on our website, we advocate for language that supports inclusion, self-confidence, positive self-worth, and productive self-image. One of our organizational objectives is to use language that supports the humanity of each person as the forefront of their identity.

We provide programs and services for the justice-involved, not “services for felons.” We speak to empower and humanize. Words have the power to instigate change. We are looking to incorporate positive, empowering words to create a whole new way to talk about justice-system involved individuals, and lead the way to a new, enlightened language of incarceration.

What happens when you use person-centered language of incarceration?

• Increased chances of successful employment, housing and family engagement
• Increased chances to build stable and healthy lives
• Increased compliance with laws, community norms, work expectations, rules/regulations, supervision terms, program requirements, treatment objectives, etc.

Out-dated Language

• Felon
• Convicted felon
• Convict
• Con
• Ex-convict
• Ex-con
• Criminal
• Juvie
• Juvenile delinquent
• Addict
• Drug addict
• Substance abuser
• Services for felons
• Jobs for felons
• Employment for felons
• Offender
• Youth Offender
• Parolee

Person-centered Language

• People
• Person
• Individual
• Person incarcerated
• Person who has been formerly incarcerated
• Person who is incarcerated
• Justice-involved individual
• Justice-involved person
• Impacted person
• Reentry services
• Reentry programs
• Returning citizen
• Returning person
• Person on parole
• Person released from prison
• Person on probation
• People with substance use disorder