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Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a new law Monday, Aug. 8, that replaces the word “inmate” in state law with “incarcerated individual.”
The governor’s office said the language change is meant to reduce stigma against people involved in the criminal justice system and eliminate barriers to opportunities that they face.
“Individuals impacted by the criminal justice system have long noted that terms such as felon, inmate, prisoner, and convict dehumanize individuals and perpetuate the idea that incarcerated people should be permanently demonized and stigmatized,” the governor’s office said in a statement.
State Senator Gustavo Rivera, who co-sponsored the legislation, praised its passage, saying that language matters.
“For too long, we as a society have thought of incarcerated individuals as less than people,” Rivera said.
“This is another concrete step our State is taking to make our criminal justice system one that focuses on rehabilitation, rather than relying solely on punishment."
Gov. Hochul also signed a law Monday that expands the hours that parolees can attend required community supervision programs to non working hours.
Supporters said the move will help parolees keep their jobs or continue their education programs.
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