The Department of Justice (DOJ) will no longer refer to those arrested and sent to jail as either “convicts” or “felons.” DOJ officials now feel the terms could harm the rehabilitation process and believe ex-cons should not have a “demeaning” label on their backs forever.

Justice Department officials cited “stigmatizing effects” the terms “felons” and “convicts” could have on the rapists, murderers, child molesters, and various other types of criminals the phrases are commonly used to describe.

According to DOJ Assistant Attorney General Karol Mason, the words “convicts” and “felons” will not be replaced by “person who committed a crime” or “individual who was incarcerated,” Fox News reports. The new and some say politically correct phrasing will be used in all official Justice Department speeches, social media posts, online content, and related communications.

The DOJ announcement quickly went viral, sparking both a heated debated and mocking of the label change on social media.

DOJ official Karol Mason had this to say about the felons and convicts terminology change.

“I have come to believe that we have a responsibility to reduce not only the physical but also the psychological barriers to reintegration. 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.”

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is not involved in direct law enforcement activities but is responsible for crime reduction research and development for the federal agency. The OJP also works in conjunction with both state and local policing agencies around the country. Mason has been at the head of the agency since 2013.

J. Christian Adams, a former DOJ official, completely disagrees with Mason’s assessment of the lexicon adjustment. Adams believes calling ex-convicts “felons” is both right and proper. He further contends the phrase change is just the latest effort by Barack Obama’s administration to “destigmatize the most abhorrent behavior.”

While the DOJ agency’s change will be mandatory now, it might only remain an enforceable order for a few more months. Once a new president is elected, the Justice Department might be directed to once again call criminals “felons” and “convicts.”

“It helps people make important decisions about hiring, about renting, about associating with people who have shown a proclivity to break the law,” J. Christian Adams said. “Shame is not a bad thing. It’s helped civilization rise. And people who cannot be trusted, who have committed violent crimes in the past, there’s nothing wrong with calling them exactly what they are – and that is felons.”

Karol Mason also stated the OJP believes criminals released from prison face “collateral consequences” stemming from their incarceration. She cited losing the right to vote and obstacles to garnering employment as issues ex-cons face in their local communities after their release.

“Our words have power. They shape and color our estimations and judgments. They can build up or tear down,” the DOJ official added in a column published in the Washington Post.

Three years ago, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter launched a similar measure at the local level. He issued an order to all public employees mandating they refer to ex-cons as either “returning citizen” or “ex-offender.”

What do you think about the DOJ felons and convicts label change?

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