Continuing her tough-on-crime approach to public policy, Gov. Kelly Ayotte told the New Hampshire Department of Corrections (DOC) Wednesday to stop referring to incarcerated individuals as ‘residents’ and start calling them ‘inmates,” which she says is “consistent with state law.”
“Rehabilitative efforts should be pursued without ignoring the reality of incarceration. The language we use should also be consistent with New Hampshire law,” said Ayotte in a letter to DOC Commissioner Helen Hanks. “The label of ‘resident’—currently used by the Department of Corrections—for incarcerated persons obscures the joint goals of deterrence, rehabilitation, and punishment.”
Ayotte, a former state attorney general, has repeatedly highlighted her support for law enforcement, including $33 million in funding for the controversial Group II retirement fund that benefits police, corrections and parole officers, among others. She’s also been aggressively pushing to fix the bail reform signed into law by Gov. Chris Sununu that has allowed more accused criminals back on New Hampshire streets.
“A person incarcerated in a penal or correctional institution is considered an inmate under the law and shall be referred to as such by State agencies and personnel. Please take all necessary actions to ensure that the Department of Corrections uses ‘inmate’ rather than resident. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Ayotte wrote.
The first-term governor’s call to change the language at the DOC received praise from members of the state’s law enforcement community.
“In recent years, individuals incarcerated in state prisons or under community supervision have been referred to by various terms such as Person Under Departmental Control (PUDC), clients, students, offenders, residents, and more. This evolving nomenclature has led to confusion not only among Department of Corrections personnel and law enforcement officers but also among the individuals themselves,” according to a letter signed by law enforcement officials.
“Clarity and consistency in language are essential for both the justice system and the public, ensuring transparency and maintaining the integrity of legal designations.”
Among the signatories are Seifu Ragassa, president of the New Hampshire Probation Parole Officers Command Staff Union & New Hampshire Group II Retirement Coalition; Michael Geha, president of the New Hampshire Police Association; and Frank Campo, president of the New Hampshire Troopers Association.
