Prison

A prison or jail is a building where people are forced to live if their freedom has been taken away. The main cause for imprisonment is breaking the law. Those who break the law and are convicted (found guilty) in court can receive a prison sentence, which is an order to spend an amount of time in prison. Prisons are usually run by the government. People in prisons are called prisoner or inmates. Prisons are core parts of most countries' Justice systems.

There are other reasons why someone might be held in prison. Sometimes, people can be held in prison following arrest and before their trial (known as pre-trial detention or remand). In times of war, captured soldiers may become prisoners of war and civilians (non-soldiers) may be placed in an internment camp. In some countries, prisons are also used for political prisoners (people who disagree with the country's leader or government).

Other words for a prison include a gaol (pronounced like "jail"), penitentiary or correctional facility. In the US, the words "prison" and "jail" mean separate things. A US "jail" is run by a local government and holds people who have not yet had their trial or who have been convicted for a minor crime. A US "prison" or "penitentiary" is run by the state or federal government and holds people who are serving a long sentence for a serious crime. Outside of North America, "prison" and "jail" mean the same thing. There are lots of slang words for prisons.

In the United States and many other developed countries, inmates have most or all their personal possessions confiscated until release and are forced to wear prison uniforms.