Inmates to now be called ‘residents’ at Wisconsin jail, sheriff says. ‘Titles matter’
A Wisconsin sheriff says people locked up in the county’s jail will no longer be called inmates.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett announced a new policy Monday to refer to those incarcerated in the local detention facility as “residents,” a change he said “will help break down barriers that can and will reduce recidivism, lower our crime rates and reduce our population” at the jail.
“We want to eliminate the barriers that those who are incarcerated face when they’re getting their warm re-entry back into the community, including barriers with career-based employment, affordable housing, educational programs, state assistance, relationships and their self-worth as a human being,” Barrett said during a news conference broadcast by WISC.
Dane County, which includes Madison, has a sheriff’s office of more than 600 employees.
An online jail roster for the county’s three jails now refers to “current residents” rather than inmates. The county’s jails house defendants awaiting trial, people sentenced to jail and those sentenced with work release.
Barrett said no consequences will be imposed on deputies who use the term inmate and he expected the “normalizing language will take some time for us to get accustomed to.”
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers appointed Barrett after former Dane County Sheriff David Mahoney resigned in May.
After meeting with community members, Barrett said he decided to create the policy because “titles matter.”
“This one small step toward getting us in the right direction but we will continue to do everything that we can to ensure that we’re preparing those that are within our care with every bit of resource and life skills they need so that we can reduce recidivism and prevent them from committing additional crimes and coming back to our facility,” Barrett said.
This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 4:50 PM with the headline "Inmates to now be called ‘residents’ at Wisconsin jail, sheriff says. ‘Titles matter’."