Coronavirus (COVID-19) Announcement: The safety and well-being of our staff and clients is our top priority during this unprecedented time. We are actively monitoring and responding to all recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our local health authorities. Current information is available HERE.

Pioneer supports justice-involved individuals with the services needed to successfully re-enter our communities. 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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Meet the People We Serve

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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

Background Check Podcast Interviews Karen Lee, CEO of Pioneer Human Services

Jay Dan Gumm, host of the podcast, Background Check, and founder of Forgiven Felons, hosted Karen Lee, Pioneer's CEO on his podcast. Listen....Read more >>

The Importance of Employment and Support After Incarceration

Read Lana's story of how she worked hard to turn her life around HERE. Today, Lana is our....Read more >>

Inspired Money Podcast Interviews Pioneer's CEO, Karen Lee

Listen to Pioneer Human Services' CEO, Karen Lee, being interviewed by Andrew Wang from Runnymede Capital on his podcast,....Read more >>