New York City’s Board of Correction plans to remove the word “inmate” from its regulations more than 300 times, replacing it with “people in custody” after pressure from criminal justice advocates who claim the traditional term is derogatory.
Language Overhaul Targets Traditional Prison Terms
The proposed rule change affects the Board of Correction’s minimum standards for city jails, swapping “inmate” and “inmates” with “person in custody” or “people in custody” throughout Chapters 2 and 3 of its rulebook. The Board announced in 2021 its commitment to employ person-first language across all its standards and communications, claiming the effort represents a vital step toward modernizing how officials discuss incarcerated individuals. The revision builds on changes already made to Chapter 1 of the minimum standards, which eliminated inmate references in favor of gender-inclusive alternatives.
Criminal justice advocates argue that terms like inmate, felon, prisoner, and convict dehumanize individuals and create permanent stigma. The Board of Correction, which serves as the oversight body for New York City’s jail system including the troubled Rikers Island complex, adopted this position as part of broader efforts to reform how the criminal justice system addresses incarcerated populations.
Statewide Policy Already In Effect
Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation in 2022 that struck the word “inmate” from state law, replacing it with “incarcerated individual” throughout New York’s legal code. A release from the governor’s office at the time stated that people impacted by the criminal justice system have long noted how traditional terminology perpetuates the idea that incarcerated people should be permanently demonized and stigmatized. The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision updated its mission statement to reflect service to the “incarcerated population” rather than inmates.
City Agencies Follow Suit
The New York City Department of Correction, which directly operates municipal jails including Rikers Island, now refers to individuals in its facilities as “persons in custody” in official communications and documentation. This shift mirrors the proposed changes at the Board of Correction, creating consistency across city agencies responsible for jail oversight and operations. The terminology updates represent a significant departure from language used throughout American corrections for generations, reflecting changing attitudes about criminal justice reform and rehabilitation versus punishment.