My beef with Person Centered Language (PCL) 

For more than a decade a number of scholars and activists have expressed difficultly with the terms convict, inmate, offender, prisoner and felon. This problem has extended to using these labels preceded by the word “ex.” Recently this criticism has extended to difficulty with calling former President Trump a felon.

People opposed to using these terms argue that they are stigmatizing and prevent men and women who are labeled or referred to as such from gaining employment, progressing in their careers, finding suitable housing, etc.

A frequently recommended alternative is to use people centered language (PCL). It’s argued that using PCL is less stigmatizing and more humanizing. Thus, instead of referring to someone as a convict or felon, they should be called “A person with a conviction,” or in lieu of  inmate or prisoner using “Incarcerated person” or “Person who is incarcerated,” etc.

But this strategy is no panacea for assisting people who are incarcerated or have been released from custody. And there are numerous criticisms of this approach that PCL advocates seem to be either unaware of or chose to ignore. 

And here’s the main reason why PCL is problematic. Using PCL is cumbersome and it introduces unnecessary ambiguity Unless they have drank the Kool-Aid, the  majority of people you talk with are going to look at you and wonder what the hell you are talking about. I don’t mind the strange looks, but if you value effective communication using PCL is not going to help. 

As a response, a handful of individuals in the Convict Criminology network have courageously and eloquently argued why the term convict, etc. is an appropriate term and advocated the reclaiming of the convict label.

It’s time for prison scholars and activists to invest their energy into more impactful kinds of prison reform activities, like fixing sentencing and prison conditions instead of getting caught up with and going down the rabbit hole of language politics.

Photo credit:

Photographer: Doctored

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