decarceration

American  

[dee-kahr-suh-rey-shuhn] / diˌkɑr səˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of freeing a person or people from prison.

   One goal of the project is the decarceration of youth in California.

2. policy or actions intended to reduce the number of people in prison.

   Community food projects can play a role in decarceration.

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Etymology

Origin of decarceration

First recorded in 1960–65; de- ( def. ) + (in)carceration ( def. )

Example Sentences

High, a charter school affiliated with decarceration activists at the Los Angeles-based Youth Justice Coalition.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2023

If jail decarceration during COVID-19 caused crime to increase, then across the six highest-dosage counties we would expect to consistently see the comparison unit fall below the treated series.

From Scientific American • Sep. 14, 2023

These changes are not driven by any kind of philosophy about decarceration; they are driven by data.

From Slate • Jan. 21, 2023

“This isn’t some huge, mass decarceration measure,” said Patrice Sulton, founder and executive director of the DC Justice Lab.

From Washington Post • Jan. 17, 2023

The criminal justice system has moved toward decarceration, but people coming out of custody are almost 10 times more likely to experience homelessness.

From New York Times • Apr. 2, 2022