decarceration

[ dee-kahr-suh-rey-shuhn ]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of decarceration¹

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