25 signatures reached
To: The Nevada Legislature, the Nevada Department of Corrections, and state policymakers
Petition to the State of Nevada: Adopt “Person in Custody” Language
Petition to the State of Nevada: Adopt “Person in Custody” Language in Law, Policy, and Public Communication
DEADLINE: JUNE 1, 2026
DEADLINE: JUNE 1, 2026
To the Nevada Legislature, the Nevada Department of Corrections, and state policymakers:
We, the undersigned residents and advocates, call on the State of Nevada to adopt person-first language when referring to individuals held in prisons, jails, and other detention facilities. Specifically, we urge Nevada to replace terms such as “inmate,” “offender,” and “prisoner” with the more accurate and humane phrase “person in custody.”
Language matters. The words used in law and policy shape how institutions treat people and how the public understands them. Labels such as “inmate” and “offender” reduce human beings to a status defined solely by incarceration. In contrast, “person in custody” acknowledges that individuals held by the state remain people first — people with families, histories, health needs, and inherent dignity.
Across the country, jurisdictions and institutions are recognizing the importance of person-first language. This shift reflects a growing understanding that people do not cease to be human when they enter a correctional facility, and that humane language is an essential step toward humane policy.
Adopting “person in custody” language would:
- Affirm human dignity. Every individual in state custody retains their humanity and their constitutional rights.
- Promote more humane policy and practice. Person-first language encourages institutions to focus on care, accountability, and rehabilitation rather than dehumanization.
- Align Nevada with modern standards. Many courts, policymakers, journalists, and advocacy organizations have already moved toward person-first terminology.
- Recognize the lived reality of incarceration. Families, attorneys, and advocates see every day that people in custody are more than the labels placed upon them.
Why is this important?
Behind every person held in custody is a family, a community, and a life that still matters. Many people in Nevada’s prisons and jails face serious health risks and systemic neglect. Their humanity, and the humanity of those who have passed away inside, must be recognized not only in policy outcomes but also in the language our state uses to describe them.
Changing language alone will not solve the problems within our criminal legal system. But it is a meaningful and necessary step toward acknowledging the humanity of people in custody and building a system grounded in dignity and accountability.
We therefore call on the State of Nevada to:
1. Amend state statutes, regulations, and official documents to replace “inmate,” “offender,” and similar labels with “person in custody.”
2. Direct the Nevada Department of Corrections and other agencies to adopt person-first language in policies, communications, and reporting.
3. Encourage courts, legislators, and public officials to use “person in custody” in official proceedings and publications.
By adopting person-first language, Nevada can take a clear step toward recognizing the humanity of all people and setting a standard for dignity within its justice system.