Why is inmate a bad word?
Asked by: Prof. Wilburn Quitzon | Last update: June 21, 2025Score: 4.4/5 (33 votes)
Seventy-four percent of people held in jails have not been convicted of a crime. Technically speaking, these people are “inmates” because of their physical location. But “inmate” is dangerously imprecise because it is widely perceived as an assignment of guilt.
Is inmate an appropriate term?
People with criminal justice histories are referred to in an array of dehumanizing labels, such as “inmates,” “criminals,” “prisoners,” “convicts,” “delinquents,” “felons,” and “offenders.” Even after people complete their sentence of incarceration and return to the community, oftentimes these labels follow.
Is the word "inmate" offensive?
Words like “ex-offender” and “felon” are good for search optimization but are not proper ways to refer to someone who has been incarcerated. The terms “inmate” and “prisoner” also have negative connotations, because they too define people by their crimes, as we shall see in this article.
What is a nicer way to say inmate?
There are better alternatives—alternatives that center a person's humanity first and foremost. These include “person who was convicted of a crime,” “person who is incarcerated,” “person convicted of a felony,” and “person seeking lawful status.” These words and phrases matter.
What is the new word for inmates?
They amended several state laws to remove the word and replace it with “incarcerated person” to refer to people serving time, to reduce the stigma of being in jail.
Things You Should Never Say in Prison
What is a better term for inmates?
Viewpoints differ, but, in my experience, incarcerated persons prefer the term “prisoner.” The term “inmate” carries a subservient and sometimes derogatory perception. An inmate does as he is told. An inmate is obedient. An inmate follows the rules of the institution.
What is the proper name for an inmate?
They are incarcerated. And, as incarcerated people, they are officially known as inmates, casually referred to as prisoners. Still, some think of themselves as convicts (a very politically loaded term in the prison context).
What can I use instead of inmate?
- prisoner.
- captive.
- capture.
- convict.
- internee.
- con.
- jailbird.
- parolee.
What is the new name for a felon?
Some examples include changing “felon” and “offender” to “returning resident” or “formerly incarcerated person.” A “parolee” could be described as a “person under supervision.” “Convict” could be referred to as a “currently incarcerated person,” while a “juvenile offender” or “delinquent” would be described as a “young ...
Why are they called inmates?
Originally, in the 16th century, an inmate was "one allowed to live in a house rented by another" — a roommate who's not on the lease, in other words. This meaning comes from in and mate, "friend or companion." By the 1830s, inmate had come to mean "one confined to an institution."
What do you call an ex-inmate?
Offender, inmate, felon, criminal, convict, prisoner, ex-offender, ex-con, ex-prisoner, parolee, probationer, detainee, juvenile offender, juvenile delinquent, sex offender, mentally ill, homeless, addict, or. substance abuser.1.
What is slang for prisoner?
1 (noun) in the sense of convict. convict. con (slang) jailbird. lag (slang)
What is a polite alternative to the word jail?
Jail: A more polite and respectful way to refer to a jail is a correctional facility or detention center.
Is jailbird derogatory?
A jailbird is someone who's been in prison or is still there. Your parents might refer to your disgraced car thief cousin a jailbird. Jailbird is a casual and derogatory term for a convicted criminal, especially one who's been in and out of jail several times.
What is the old word for prisoner?
captive; leden ~, take (sb.) prisoner, lead (sb.) as captive; leden as ~, lead (sb.) as captive; holden as ~, hold (sb.)
What do inmates call officers?
BOSS: A term used by inmates to refer to officers working as guards.
Is ex-convict offensive?
Terms like “ex-inmates,” “ex-prisoners,” “ex-convicts,” “ex-felons,” and “ex-offenders” are used to categorize and stigmatize people affected by the criminal justice system. Dehumanizing labels stereotype and marginalize people rather than support them while they rebuild their lives.
Is a felon still a US citizen?
People who are US citizens do not lose their citizenship upon being convicted of a felony. They may lose some of the rights that come with citizenship (such as the right to vote), but the citizenship itself remains.
Can I change my name if I have a felony?
If you have a felony, you cannot change your name until at least 10 years after the completion of the terms of your sentence including parole or probation. There is an exception if you were convicted but then pardoned.
What word can I use instead of inmate?
- prisoners.
- captives.
- internees.
- convicts.
- captures.
- cons.
- jailbirds.
- parolees.
What do you call a person with a felony?
Technically, a felon is anyone who's been convicted of a serious crime, but you can use felon to describe anyone you think has done something terrible. For a felon, it's being paraded in handcuffs in front of the public that can be the worst part of being convicted.
What do you call a person who escaped from jail?
escaped prisoner (noun as in escapee) Strongest matches. defector deserter fugitive runaway.
What are jails called now?
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, remand center, hoosegow, or slammer, is a facility where people are imprisoned under the authority of the state, usually as punishment for various crimes.
What do you call someone who keeps going back to jail?
Recidivism. Recidivism is one of the most fundamental concepts in criminal justice. It refers to a person's relapse into criminal behavior, often after the person receives sanctions or undergoes intervention for a previous crime. Learn Why Recidivism Is a Core Criminal Justice Concern.
What are nicknames for jail?
“Hoosegow, mainline joint, skinner joint, stoney lonesome, con college, glasshouse, bucket, club fed, greybar hotel, big house, slammer, calaboose, castle, cooler, country club, crowbar hotel, digger, farm, guardhouse, hole, joint, jug, juvie, pen, pokey, rock, sneezer, stockade, the clink.”