NYC Rebrands Jailers as People in Custody | Wilmington News

Wilmington News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 20, 2026 · 1m

New York City is ditching the term “inmate” for “person in custody” across its correctional rules, part of a broader effort to humanize language and emphasize that incarceration is a circumstance—not a person’s entire identity. This follows a similar state-level shift led by Governor Hochul and was recently spotlighted by Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s visit to Rikers Island for a World Cup game, where he declared the detainees “New Yorkers” who’ll remain so after release. The changes are symbolic, not operational, aiming to reshape public perception without altering jail policies. Listen in…