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 wholistic, supportive programs and services for the justice-involved, not “aid for felons.” We speak to empower and humanize.
Words have the power to instigate change. We are continually looking to incorporate positive, empowering words to create a whole new way to talk about justice-system involved individuals. Our objective is to 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
- Second Chance employee
- Second Chance employer
- Person on parole
- Person released from prison
- Person on probation
- People with substance use disorder
