DOJ to nix ‘felon,’ ‘convict’ terms deemed stigmatizing

foxnews.com ^ | 5/5/16 | Cody Derespina /foxnews

[ColdOne]

A Justice Department division will no longer refer to people released from prison as “felons” or “convicts” because of the stigmatizing effects of the terms, an agency official announced in a Washington Post editorial Wednesday.

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Instead, Assistant Attorney General Karol Mason said the “disparaging labels” will be replaced by “person who committed a crime” or “individual who was incarcerated.” The new lexicon is set to be utilized in “speeches, solicitations, website content and social media posts” emanating from the Office of Justice Programs.

“I have come to believe that we have a responsibility to reduce not only the physical but also the psychological barriers to reintegration,” Mason wrote. “The labels we affix to those who have served time can drain their sense of self-worth and perpetuate a cycle of crime, the very thing re-entry programs are designed to prevent.”

OJP is responsible for research and development efforts to fight crime, but takes no direct law enforcement actions. The agency also works with state and local authorities.

[exDemMom]

Okay, we can just call them “jailbirds” from now on.

It isn’t the words we use to describe them that are stigmatizing. It is the fact that they have committed crimes severe enough to land them in jail.

[mainestategop]

How about we just stop letting the government keep records of people? This whole criminal background thing is socialist and totalitarian. If you've paid you're debt to society thats it.

You're criminal background should only come back to haunt you if you're applying for a job like say bank teller or security guard or something like that that involves managing money or protecting someone.

[BitWielder1]

I like Fellow Freeper Syncopated's idea to call them "Senator".

[kingu]

Those who have been affected by crime will no longer be reported as victims. Those who have been robbed shall be referred to as donors, those who have been hurt will be referred to as blood donors, and those who have been killed shall be referred to as organ donors.

[TomGuy]

replaced by “person who committed a crime” or “individual who was incarcerated.”

Seriously?

Must be another one of those Lib ideas that looked good on paper.

Look for future complaints about "crime" and "incarcerated".

[Drango]

If we can call Bruce Jenner a woman, we can call anything whatever we want.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

They’re just thinking ahead, smoothing the way for Cankles’ inevitable residency. ;)

[SoCal Pubbie]

Won’t these new terms become stigmatizing once the public catches on?

[tumblindice]

This is the same Orwellian method they use to try to euphemize “alien” to something like “undocumented immigrant,” even though all the statutes refer to them as “aliens”.
This is violence done to the language by the Obama administration, and for a purpose. Words have meaning.
Trump is going to spend his first 6 months to a year undoing Obamanations like these.

[BatGuano]

If you believe in “calling a spade a spade” or “call them as you see them” or, just plain honest, you will continue to call criminals, rapists, murderers, robbers exactly what they are. “Stigmatizing?” They, by their acts, have “stigmatized” themselves.

Will the PC crap ever stop? The DOJ ain't doing what it is supposed to do if they have time to worry about criminals’
sensitivities.

[Joe Boucher]

DOJ like a whole lot of federal gub mint agencies should be cleaned out of a holes and crazies like this

[SunkenCiv]

will be replaced by "person who committed a crime" or "individual who was incarcerated."

No, as a matter of fact, they won't be replaced with those ridiculous phrases. "Cups?!? We don't have cups! All we have are these liquid substance surrounders." [Firesign Theater]

[ColdOne]

Oh my....that is a spot on description. also call them...Clintons.

[military cop]

The DOJ has informed its employees that we are to refer to them as “Justice Involved Individuals”......... IM NOT EVEN KIDDING.

As I have said my entire government career, “You Can’t Make This Shit Up, Cause the Shit Makes Itself Up”.

Also the title of my book when I retire. Look for it in your local gun store (if there ARE any in 5 yeas....)

RLTW

[ColdOne]

Not far from the truth I am afraid.

[Lazamataz]

replaced by “person who committed a crime” or “individual who was incarcerated.”

WAYYYYY too stigamizing. I like "persons who went slightly outside societal norms due to lingering racism and classism."

[Right Wing Assault]

“individual who was incarcerated.”

Microagression! Macroaggression!! I demand a safe space. I have multiple personalities and I am terrorized by being called an "individual." I go into convulsions when I hear that word. I am suing the DOJ for their unjust name calling. Haters. I demand a psychiatrist! I am in tears!!! I have my hands up, don't call me that. I can't breathe because I was called that. MPLM. Multiple Personality Lives Matter. Give me money.

[Jack Hammer]

Orwell was prescient.

Newspeak not only bans the truth, it prohibits the truth.

[tumblindice]