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Newspeak — Iron Bar Hotel Division

In the early 2000s, the Washington State Department of Corrections dropped the word “inmate” in favor of the more friendly “offender.” But now that word is tainted. “Unfortunately, what starts out as a technical term, used to generically describe the people in our care, becomes and is enforced as a stereotype,” wrote DOC Acting Secretary Richard Morgan in a memo to staff. “This is something we can address.” Instead of “offender,” he has directed staff to call the “people in our care” different words depending on where they’re being held: “students” if they’re taking classes, “patients” if they’re in the infirmary. Otherwise, just “individuals” will do. The DOC says the trend started in Pennsylvania. (RC/Seattle Times) ...And thus the demonization of the “individual” has begun.