How does the media shape our understanding of people who have served time in prison? What happens when reporting reinforces fear, stigma, and exclusion? And what can we do to tell more honest, respectful, and impactful stories?

The INSIGHT project, led by Lithuania (Prirašytos rankos) and funded by the Erasmus+ Programme, is tackling these questions with a new, free online course designed to support more responsible, humanizing, and ethical media practices. Whether you’re a journalist, educator, NGO worker, policymaker, or simply someone interested in social justice, this short course offers concrete tools to help change the way we speak and think about incarceration.

The Problem: Stereotypes, Stigma, and Sensationalism

Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people are often portrayed in the media through a narrow, negative lens. Coverage tends to focus on violence, dysfunction, and crisis, reinforcing outdated stereotypes such as:

• Inherent violence or danger
• Inability to change or reintegrate
• Lack of intelligence or motivation
• Otherness — presenting people with criminal records as fundamentally different from the rest of society

These portrayals are often coupled with stigmatizing language, such as “inmate,” “offender,” or “felon,” which reduces people to their past actions and strips them of their humanity.

In Lithuania and across the EU, even coverage of real issues—such as overcrowding, abuse, or institutional failure—often lacks context, nuance, or the voices of those directly affected. As a result, the public is left with a distorted image of prison life and the challenges of reentry.

The Solution: Education, Awareness, and Ethical Storytelling

To counter these trends, the INSIGHT project developed a short, user-friendly online course focused on:

• Humanizing (ex-)prisoners in public discourse
• Challenging common stereotypes in reporting
• Using people-first language
• Understanding the impact of media on reintegration and public policy

The course draws on research, real-world examples, and practical recommendations for responsible communication. While especially relevant for those in journalism and media, it’s also designed for educators, students, social workers, civil society organizations, and the general public.

👉 Access the course here: https://www.insight-platform.eu
Cost: Free
Format: Self-paced, online
Language: English

Why It Matters

Words have power. The stories we tell—and how we tell them—can either entrench exclusion or open doors to understanding and change.

If you’re ready to be part of a more just and informed conversation about incarceration, start with this course.

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Project “INSIGHT” is funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Agency. Neither the European Union nor National Agency can be held responsible for them.