Chapter 2: Appropriate Language Dos and Don’ts

Words to avoid: inmate, offender, criminal, ex-offender, murderer, robber, sex offender, SO, prisoner, convict, felon, former criminal, parolee, detainee,

Words to use: someone with a criminal background, client, someone who was previously incarcerated, adult in custody, returning citizen, someone who was convicted of a felony.

Why? The criminal system is already broken, focusing on warehousing and punishment, with little emphasis on rehabilitation. People are dehumanized while incarcerated, often being treated like a caged animal. Rehabilitation is allowing someone to get back up on their feet after failing. When you define someone by the crime they committed, you are defining them based on their worst mistakes. No where else in society do we define someone based on their lowest moment in life. It is important not to judge someone who has been arrested or incarcerated. It might not feel like a drastic difference, but there is a difference between an inmate and an adult in custody, or an ex offender and someone who was previously incarcerated. The order matters.

It is a conversation not interrogation: It is important to get specific information when speaking with someone with a criminal background. How we ask them and word things matters too. For example, if their criminal record includes a sexual offense, they are not eligible for Goodwill Career Solutions services. This is why it is important to have other places and resources available to refer to them.

When discussing details of their past, keep in mind this can be difficult for someone to talk about. Discussing past traumatic events can be triggering. It is important to treat it like a conversation, not an interrogation. The crime they commited was not against YOU, so be careful of your tone and word usage.

Geographical Differences: The criminal justice system looks drastically different throughout the United States, which means there could be cultural or geographically differences in regards to terminology. For example, Oregon is more progressive than other states. The terminology used inside correctional facilities is “AIC, adults in custody”, not an inmate, prisoner, criminal or offender. This may not be the case for other states. State to state terminology differs drastically and this can lead to hurtful terminology being normalized. In most cases, someone uses offensive terminology unintentionally. To ensure positive terminology, be mindful of the words you choose.

Do Not Assume: This is a great rule in general, but specifically applies in the criminal justice system. An arrest does not mean a conviction. Often, the charges are dropped because they were false, but the arrest can still stay on someone’s record and be used against them. This can also be confusing for the client. Also, just because someone pleads guilty, does not mean they committed the crime. This may seem false, but it is not. There are many cases where a person cannot afford a lawyer. They are then given a public defender (who is drastically overworked and paid by the case), who tells the person to take the plea. The plea means less jail time and prosecutors will use scare tactics. Why risk your entire life, when you can just plead down to a couple years? They are desperate, scared, and out of options. To be fair, that is not always the case. However, I used this example to prove a point. Do not assume you know anything about someone’s story. We can miss many important details if we disregard someone or assume we have this person figured out. There may be more to the story.

Most Important Takeaway (recap) : We are not our worst mistake. We all fail and make mistakes, what is most important is how we get back up. Use empowering terminology. Avoid offense descriptors, and remember the order in which you describe someone matters. Create a safe atmosphere for someone to share details about their situation. Once you know all the details, have those resources ready so you can point them in the right direction.

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” Maya Angelou