With the tremendous national interest in the field of pretrial justice, academic papers, roundtable discussions, policy debates, newspaper editorials, and community meetings focusing on matters of pretrial justice, racial equity, and community engagement are increasingly common. These conversations can be challenging. At the heart of pretrial justice is an essential balance: due process and defendant rights; victim rights and community well-being and public safety. Finding balance, particularly between competing interests, requires frank and honest dialogue.
Confounding these discussions is the fact that the field of pretrial justice is replete with language that is confusing; words and terms used in one setting can have an entirely different meaning in another. Language also plays a crucial role in discussions of racism and racial equity and disparity. Consistency in the use of language is of critical importance when working to address and reduce inequality and to increase community engagement.
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