Prison vs. Penitentiary — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on June 6, 2024
Prison is a general term for any facility where people are legally held as punishment for a crime; penitentiary specifically refers to a state or federal prison for serious offenses.
Difference Between Prison and Penitentiary
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Key Differences
Prison and penitentiary are often used interchangeably, but historically, penitentiaries were intended for penance, reflecting a focus on rehabilitation. Prisons, on the other hand, have been general terms for all levels of incarceration facilities. While a penitentiary is designed for those convicted of serious offenses, prisons can house a range of offenders, from minor to severe. Both serve as correctional institutions but may differ in the level of security and the types of programs offered.
Penitentiaries are typically higher-security institutions than prisons, intended to house more serious offenders. Prisons can vary from minimum to maximum security and may not always house inmates serving long-term sentences. While a penitentiary’s design is to punish and reform, a prison's role can also include detention for those awaiting trial or sentencing. Each term carries with it a connotation of the correctional philosophy it was founded upon, but modern usage has blurred these distinctions.
Prison systems include a variety of correctional facilities, whereas the term penitentiary is often reserved for institutions within the prison system that are intended for serious crimes. In some jurisdictions, penitentiaries are synonymous with state or federal prisons, implying a larger size or more stringent custody level. Prisons are a broad category, encompassing many types of institutions, including penitentiaries, while penitentiaries are a specific kind of prison.
Although both prisons and penitentiaries serve to incarcerate individuals, the notion of a penitentiary is associated with a historical concept of penance and reform. Prisons, by contrast, are understood as places of confinement for a wide range of offenses, not necessarily with a focus on rehabilitation. Today, the distinction is largely semantic, as the terms are used interchangeably within the correctional system, with both types of institutions forming essential parts of the penal landscape.
Comparison Chart
General Purpose
Incarceration for punishment and detention
Long-term confinement with a focus on reform
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Focus
Varies: containment, security, or rehabilitation
Primarily on rehabilitation and moral reform
Security Levels
Minimum, medium, maximum security
Emphasizes security with rehabilitative programs
Name Origin
General term for incarceration facility
Derived from "penance"
Programs Offered
Varies, often limited to security measures
Education, vocational training, counseling
Compare with Definitions
Prison
A place of confinement for those convicted of crimes.
The thief was sent to prison for two years.
Penitentiary
A state or federal prison for people convicted of serious crimes.
He was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary.
Prison
A building where people are legally held as a punishment.
The prison was overcrowded with inmates.
Penitentiary
A correctional institution focused on reform and penance.
The penitentiary program includes work training and education.
Prison
A facility for detention of individuals awaiting trial or sentencing.
She was held in prison until her court date.
Penitentiary
An American English term for prisons with stringent security measures.
The high walls of the penitentiary were designed to prevent escapes.
Prison
A term for jails, correctional facilities, and similar places of incarceration.
The new prison policy aimed to improve living conditions for prisoners.
Penitentiary
A facility intended for serious offenders as part of the penal system.
The state is building a new penitentiary to ease overcrowding.
Prison
A prison, also known as a jail or gaol (dated, British, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correctional facility, lock-up or remand center is a facility in which inmates (or prisoners) are confined and denied a variety of freedoms under the authority of the state as punishment for various crimes. Prisons are most commonly used within a criminal justice system: people charged with crimes may be imprisoned until their trial; those pleading or being found guilty of crimes at trial may be sentenced to a specified period of imprisonment.
Penitentiary
A prison for those convicted of major crimes.
Prison
A place for the confinement and punishment of persons convicted of crimes, especially felonies.
Penitentiary
A tribunal of the Roman Curia having jurisdiction in matters relating to penance, dispensations, and papal absolutions.
Prison
A state of imprisonment or captivity
Years spent in prison.
Penitentiary
A priest whose special function is the administration of the sacrament of penance in a particular church or diocese.
Prison
A place or condition of confinement or restriction
Felt his job had been a prison.
Penitentiary
Of or for the purpose of penance; penitential.
Prison
To confine in or as if in a prison; imprison.
Penitentiary
Relating to or used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers.
Prison
A place or institution where people are held against their will, especially for long-term confinement of those awaiting trial or convicted of serious crimes or otherwise considered undesirable by the government.
The cold stone walls of the prison had stood for over a century.
Penitentiary
Resulting in or punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary
A penitentiary offense.
Prison
(uncountable) Confinement in prison.
Prison was a harrowing experience for him.
Penitentiary
A state or federal prison for convicted felons; (broadly) a prison.
Prison
Any restrictive environment, such as a harsh academy or home.
The academy was a prison for many of its students because of its strict teachers.
Penitentiary
A priest in the Roman Catholic Church who administers the sacrament of penance.
Prison
(transitive) To imprison.
Penitentiary
(obsolete) One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.
Prison
A place where persons are confined, or restrained of personal liberty; hence, a place or state o confinement, restraint, or safe custody.
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name.
The tyrant Æolus, . . . With power imperial, curbs the struggling winds,And sounding tempests in dark prisons binds.
Penitentiary
(obsolete) One who does penance.
Prison
Specifically, a building for the safe custody or confinement of criminals and others committed by lawful authority.
Penitentiary
(obsolete) A small building in a monastery, or a part of a church, where penitents confessed.
Prison
To imprison; to shut up in, or as in, a prison; to confine; to restrain from liberty.
The prisoned eagle dies for rage.
His true respect will prison false desire.
Penitentiary
(obsolete) An office of the papal court which examines cases of conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc., and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc.; run by a cardinal called the Grand Penitentiary who is appointed by the pope.
Prison
To bind (together); to enchain.
Sir William Crispyn with the duke was ledTogether prisoned.
Penitentiary
(obsolete) An officer in some dioceses since 1215, vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him.
Prison
A correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
Penitentiary
Of or relating to penance; penitential.
Prison
A prisonlike situation; a place of seeming confinement
Penitentiary
Of or relating to the punishment of criminals.
Prison
An institution managed by the government for those who break the law.
After the verdict, he was immediately taken to prison.
Penitentiary
Relating to penance, or to the rules and measures of penance.
Penitentiary
Expressive of penitence; as, a penitentiary letter.
Penitentiary
Used for punishment, discipline, and reformation.
Penitentiary
One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.
Penitentiary
One who does penance.
Penitentiary
A small building in a monastery where penitents confessed.
Penitentiary
That part of a church to which penitents were admitted.
Penitentiary
An office of the papal court which examines cases of conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc., and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc. Its chief is a cardinal, called the Grand Penitentiary, appointed by the pope.
Penitentiary
A house of correction, in which offenders are confined for punishment, discipline, and reformation, and in which they are generally compelled to labor; a prison; a jail. Colloquially often shortened to pen.
Penitentiary
A correctional institution for those convicted of major crimes
Penitentiary
Used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers;
Penitentiary institutions
Penitentiary
A place for long-term incarceration of offenders.
Many inmates in the penitentiary have spent decades inside.
Common Curiosities
Can a prison serve as a holding facility before a trial?
Yes, prisons can serve as holding facilities for those awaiting trial or sentencing.
What is a prison?
A prison is a facility where individuals are confined for committing crimes.
Do penitentiaries focus on rehabilitation?
Historically, penitentiaries were focused on rehabilitation and penance.
What types of crimes result in incarceration in a penitentiary?
Serious felonies typically result in incarceration in a penitentiary.
Can the terms prison and penitentiary be used interchangeably?
Yes, in modern usage, they are often used interchangeably.
Are all prisons penitentiaries?
No, not all prisons are penitentiaries; penitentiaries are typically reserved for serious crimes.
What is a penitentiary?
A penitentiary is a secure prison for those convicted of serious offenses, emphasizing reform.
Are security measures the same in prisons and penitentiaries?
Security measures vary, but penitentiaries often have stricter security than prisons.
Is the main purpose of a penitentiary punishment or reform?
The main purpose is both punishment and reform, but the emphasis can vary.
What types of crimes land someone in prison?
Crimes ranging from minor offenses to serious felonies can result in prison time.
Does the length of a sentence determine if someone is sent to a penitentiary?
Typically, longer sentences are served in penitentiaries.
Can juveniles be held in penitentiaries?
Juveniles are usually held in separate juvenile facilities, not penitentiaries.
Are there educational programs in both prisons and penitentiaries?
Both may offer educational programs, but availability can vary by institution.
Do prisons only hold convicted individuals?
Prisons hold both convicted individuals and those awaiting trial or sentencing.
Do all countries use the term penitentiary?
The term penitentiary is more common in the United States and Canada.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
