The New York City Board of Correction plans to remove the term “inmate” from its jail regulations. “Person in custody” will replace “inmate” as part of a prolonged effort reflecting the belief that incarceration should not define individuals.
This initiative is an extension of a 2021 effort that began substituting the term “inmate” in the Board’s Minimum Standards. The aim was to signify that people should not be solely identified by their incarceration status.
“People in DOC custody are people first and the circumstance of their incarceration is not their defining feature,” the Board explained in 2021.
As part of its commitment, the Board started using person-first language by replacing terms like “inmates” with “people,” “persons,” and “individuals in custody.” The new proposal seeks to apply these changes to more regulation sections.
Consequently, the rulebook reflects these changes. For example, “Classification of Prisoners” is now “Classification of People in Custody.” The regulations define a “person in custody” as “any person confined in a facility.”
The proposal highlights its intent to further past efforts. It states, “In 2021, the Board made a commitment to employ person-first language in its Minimum Standards and communications by deleting references to ‘inmates’ in favor of person-first terms such as ‘people in custody.’ The Board proposes continuing this vital effort in Chapters 2 and 3.”
This change aligns with a broader movement away from the term “inmate.” In 2022, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul enacted legislation replacing “inmate” with “incarcerated individual” throughout state laws, although New York City opted for “person in custody.”
The terminology debate has gained attention due to New York City’s correction system being in the spotlight after a FIFA World Cup semifinal watch event at Rikers Island, attended by Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.
During the event, Mamdani commented, “These are New Yorkers, and they will be New Yorkers when they get out of Rikers.” Changes in terminology do not affect jail operations, housing policies, or disciplinary measures. Instead, the Board considers these revisions a modernization effort to ensure language aligns with the philosophy that individuals should not be defined solely by their incarceration.
Fox News Digital sought responses from the New York City Board of Correction about its choice of “person in custody” over “incarcerated individual,” and whether public feedback was considered in the process.
Major corrections organizations and reform groups, like the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association and the Vera Institute of Justice, were also contacted for comments.
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