penal institution
/pɪˈneɪl ˌɪnstɪˈtuːʃən/ · pe·nal in·sti·tu·tion
noun
- A facility or system for the confinement and rehabilitation of individuals who have committed crimes, such as a prison or jail. The government has announced plans to reform the penal institution system to focus more on rehabilitation and less on punishment.
Did you know? The concept of penal institutions has been around for centuries, with ancient civilizations such as Greece and Rome using various forms of punishment and confinement. The modern concept of penal institutions as we know it today, however, began to take shape during the 18th and 19th centuries with the establishment of prisons and reformatories in Europe and North America.