FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SPOKANE COUNTY, September 14, 2021 – Yesterday afternoon at a ribbon cutting ceremony, Spokane County Commissioners, local elected officials, leaders in health care and criminal justice, and other....Read more >>
Our Mission: We are a social enterprise that partners with communities to transform society by honoring the humanity of people, reducing the impact of discriminatory mass incarceration and empowering people to live safe, healthy, productive lives through inspiration, affirmation and by overturning barriers.
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Labels Create Barriers
We believe that words are powerful and can be very stigmatizing and harmful when used to label our citizens who are or were formerly incarcerated. Let’s be clear, the individuals are first and foremost human beings!
We all need to remember that people released from prison or jail share common and descriptive names with everyone else in society to include: grandparent, parent, son and daughter, extended family member, friend, neighbor, colleague and employee. These are the only type of names that should ever be used to describe a person.
When talking about people who have been involved in the criminal justice system, here are labels to avoid and terms that are acceptable:
NEVER USE
|
Convict |
ex-Con |
Inmate |
ex-Inmate |
|
Offender |
ex-Offender |
Criminal |
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Pioneer Human Services is a nonprofit (501c3) social enterprise. One-hundred percent of our revenues are reinvested within the organization.
NEWS
Spokane County officials on Monday unveiled an overnight recovery center that will offer a range of medical and mental health services as part of an effort to address those who often cycle through jail and emergency....Read more >>
Pioneer Human Services operates a comprehensive set of programs in Snohomish County to treat behaviorally challenged and/or aggressive youth, and helps families in crisis. The three male-only residential programs in....Read more >>