A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where people are imprisoned under the authority of the state, usually as punishment for various crimes. They may also be used to house those awaiting trial (pre-trial detention). Prisons serve two primary functions within the criminal-justice system: holding people charged with crimes while they await trial, and confining those who have pleaded guilty or been convicted to serve out their sentences. Prisons can also be used as a tool for political repression by authoritarian regimes who detain perceived opponents for political crimes, often without a fair trial or due process; this use is illegal under most forms of international law governing fair administration of justice. In times of war, belligerents or neutral countries may detain prisoners of war or detainees in military prisons or in prisoner-of-war camps. At any time, states may imprison civilians – sometimes large groups of civilians – in internment camps.
Terminology The terminology used to describe or distinguish between prisons and other correctional facilities can vary between nations and jurisdictions.
Australia
In Australia, the words "gaol", "jail" and "prison" are commonly used. The spelling "gaol" was in official use in the past, and many historical gaols are now tourist attractions, such as the Maitland Gaol. Officially, the term "correctional centre" is used for almost all prisons in New South Wales and Queensland, while other states and territories use a variety of names. "Prison" is officially used for some facilities in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. Youth prisons in Australia are referred to as "youth correctional facilities" or "youth detention centres" among other names, depending on the jurisdiction. Those held on remand without bail are held in remand centres.
Canada In Canada, while the terms "jail" and "prison" are commonly used in speech, officially named facilities use "facility", "correctional centre", "penitentiary", or "institution". A number of facilities retain their historical designation as a "jail".
New Zealand In New Zealand, the terms "jail" and "prison" are commonly used, although the term "correctional facility", among others, are in official usage.
Papua New Guinea In Papua New Guinea, "prison" is officially used, although "jail" is widely understood and more common in use.
UK and Ireland The official modern term is "prison" (e.g. HM Prison Barlinnie). The spelling "gaol" is obsolete in modern speech but is still found in older texts, and in historical and legal contexts. The Gaols Act 1823 describes two types of prison: gaols and houses of correction. Houses of correction were first established by the Poor Relief Act 1601 in England and Wales, as a place to send the "idle poor" and vagrants for hard labor. Later laws added the functions of punishment for minor crimes after summary jurisdiction, and pre-trial detention. The function of dealing with the poor was replaced by workhouses and then general public assistance.
United States In American English, the terms "prison" and "jail" have separate uses, though this is not always adhered to in casual speech and the manner in which correctional facilities are officially described varies by state.
A "jail" holds people for shorter periods of time (for example, less than a year) or for pre-trial detention and is usually operated by a local government, typically the county sheriff. A "prison" or "penitentiary" holds people for longer periods of time, such as many years, and is operated by a state or federal government. After a conviction, a sentenced person is typically sent to prison.
History
Ancient and medieval The use of prisons can be traced back to the rise of the state as a form of social organization. Some Ancient Greek philosophers, such as Plato, began to develop ideas of using punishment to reform offenders instead of for retribution. Imprisonment as a penalty was used commonly for those who could not afford to pay their fines. Eventually, since impoverished Athenians could not pay their fines, leading to indefinite periods of imprisonment, time limits were set instead. The prison in ancient Athens was known as the desmoterion or "the place of chains". The Romans were among the first to use prisons as a form of punishment rather than simply for detention. A variety of existing structures were used to house prisoners, such as metal cages, basements of public buildings, and quarries. One of the most notable Roman prisons was the Mamertine Prison, established around 640 B.C. by Ancus Marcius. The Mamertine Prison was located within a sewer system beneath ancient Rome and contained a large network of dungeons where prisoners were held in squalid conditions contaminated with human waste. Forced labor on public works projects was also a common form of punishment. In many cases, citizens were sentenced to slavery, often in ergastula (a primitive form of prison where unruly slaves were chained to workbenches and performed hard labor). There were numerous prisons not only in the capital Rome, but throughout the Roman Empire. However, a regulated prison system did not emerge. In Medieval Songhai, results of a trial could have led to confiscation of merchandise or imprisonment as a form of punishment, since various prisons existed in the empire. During the Middle Ages in Europe, castles, fortresses, and the basements of public buildings were often used as makeshift prisons. The capability to imprison citizens granted an air of legitimacy to officials at all levels of government and served as a signifier of who possessed power or authority over others. Another common punishment was sentencing people to galley slavery, which involved chaining prisoners together in the bottoms of ships and forcing them to row on naval or merchant vessels.
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