Incarceration-Related Terms You Should Be Using

The terms we need to stop using are in pink and are hidden behind the terms we should be using, which are in yellow. This art is an expression of the ever-evolving language we must adapt to as a society to grow and become more aware and socially conscious. (art by me)

The common language used to talk about incarcerated people is inherently dehumanizing. Saying terms like "criminal," "inmate," "prisoner," and "offender" portray incarcerated people as sub-human, granting them a stigmatized label. We need to start centralizing people before their experiences by using terms like "incarcerated person" and "person experiencing incarceration." With these terms, the person is central and they're not confined to a singular, dehumanizing label.