NYC Jails to Replace "Inmate" with "Person in Custody"

The New York City Board of Correction is proposing to remove the word "inmate" from all jail regulations, replacing it with “person in custody.” This change builds upon a 2021 initiative aiming to prioritize person-first language and avoid defining individuals by their incarceration. The board believes language should reflect that a person’s circumstances do not define them.

The proposal extends revisions to additional regulations, renaming sections like “Classification of Prisoners” to “Classification of People in Custody” and rewriting numerous references. New York State enacted similar changes in 2022, though it uses the term “incarcerated individual” while the city prefers “person in custody.”

The shift in terminology will not impact jail operations or policies. The Board of Correction characterizes the revisions as a modernization effort reflecting its long-held belief that individuals should not be solely defined by their time in custody. The board has not yet publicly responded to inquiries about the choice of phrasing or public feedback on the proposal.