Listen Up! Words Matter!

The invaluable Pew Center on the States has done it again.

This time, "it" is the commissioning of a poll on public attitudes toward crime and punishment and also engaging focus groups to learn more about what language works when talking about criminal justice reforms. (Hint: stop talking about "community corrections." It makes people think of community service).

Sentencing reform advocates should find comfort in many of Pew's findings. For example, the public thinks 22 percent of current prisoners could be released without impacting public safety. Nearly 90 percent of those polled believed that prison sentences for low-risk, nonviolent offenders should be reduced. There's lots more to chew on in the full survey but this summary will give you the flavor.

It's helpful to be reminded that, while ideas matter, so do the words you use to express those ideas.