penal facility

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Word: Penal Facility

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: A penal facility is a place where people are kept as a punishment for committing crimes. It is designed to keep the public safe and to help the offenders serve their time for breaking the law.

Usage Instructions:

• The term "penal facility" is often used in formal or legal contexts.
• You might hear it in discussions about criminal justice, law enforcement, or public safety.

Example:

• "After being found guilty of theft, he was sent to a penal facility for two years."

Advanced Usage:

• In discussions about criminal justice reform, the term can be used to emphasize the need for better conditions in penal facilities or alternatives to imprisonment.
• Example: "Many advocates argue that penal facilities should focus more on rehabilitation rather than just punishment."

Word Variants:

• Penitentiary: A synonym for penal facility, often used specifically in the United States.
• Correctional Facility: Another term that emphasizes the goal of correcting behavior rather than just punishing.

Different Meanings:

• While "penal facility" specifically refers to a place of confinement for punishment, "penal" on its own can describe anything related to punishment or penalties in a legal context.

Synonyms:

• Prison
• Jail
• Detention center
• Correctional institution

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Behind bars": This idiom means to be in prison. For example, "After his conviction, he was behind bars for several years."
• "Do time": This means to serve a sentence in a penal facility. For example, "He had to do time for his crimes."

Summary:

A penal facility is a place where individuals who break the law are held as a form of punishment. It is important in discussions about crime, justice, and safety in society.

Academic

Noun

1. an institution where persons are confined for punishment and to protect the public

Synonyms

• penal institution