Posted on 10/24/2013 8:55:38 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
The hundreds of thousands of Philadelphians who have served time in prison will no longer be referred to as "ex-offenders" in official city language, the mayor's office announced Thursday. Instead, an ordinance will be introduced to call them "returning citizens."
In a statement, Mayor Nutter said that the new term emphasizes reintegration, while " 'ex-offender' carries with it a stigma which may increase the challenges these citizens face."
While the ordinance, to be introduced by Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr., awaits approval, the mayor has already issued an executive order making it city policy to use "returning citizen" on all written material from the city.
The order also renamed the Office of Re-integration Services for Ex-Offenders (RISE) to the Office of Re-integration Services. The acronym, however, will remain the same.
RISE executive director Bill Hart said he estimates the city is home to more than 200,000 "returning citizens," but that an exact number is difficult to pinpoint due to a high recidivism rate.
He hopes the new term will have a "cognitive effect" on those returning from prison.
A more positive label, he said, demonstrates that "you can be successful and make that reintegration in the world."
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Thanks!
Thanks brityank for the heads up
“The same idiot who ordered the firebombing of a whole city block in the ‘80s?”
If you are referring to the bombing of the MOVE headquarters bombing, that was a work of art. Because it was ordered by a black man, the story never got the attention it merited.
BTW, MOVE didn’t shoot any more cops after that...
Good posts.
Some of our FRiends might do well to read a little book called “Justice That Restores” by Chuck Colson - an “ex-con”, stanch conservative, and prison preacher. He changed my outlook on criminal justice by pointing me to Biblical principles.
Smart political move. It’s easier for democrat politicians in Philly to win reelection if they are called “returning citizens” instead of “ex offenders”.
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