English is my native language, and I sometimes help others with it, and I'm considering becoming an English teacher for italki. In any case, I like to keep track of how English is used outside the USA. That way my help is not limited to my native dialect, American English. For example, the spout in the kitchen or bathroom that you can get water from is usually called the "faucet" in the US, but I know that it's known as the "tap" in other countries (and in some US states).

My question is whether or not other English-speaking countries make the same distinction between "jail" and "prison" that the US does. Here in the USA those two words mean very different things. If a police officer arrests someone, that person is taken to jail, not to prison. Then, depending on the severity of the alleged crime, and on whether the person is considered a flight risk, the person is either released on bail or is held in jail until the trial. Then if the person is convicted, he might be sentenced to go to prison.

In short, a prison is a place where people convicted of a crime are locked up as their punishment. A jail, on the other hand, is usually where an arrested person gets locked up before there's a trial. There are a few exceptions. It is possible for someone convicted of a less serious time to do time in jail as a punishment. However, most of the time, a jail is a police-run temporary lockup place, while prison is where a convicted person serves their sentence.

It would appear that French does not make this same distinction that US-English makes. I also wonder if other English-speaking countries make the distinction. If you're from another English-speaking country such as Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, or another one, I would appreciate it if you would let me know how these terms are used in your country. I think Canada might do it the same as the US, but I'm not certain. Thanks.

Question

English is my native language, and I sometimes help others with it, and I'm considering becoming an English teacher for italki.  In any case, I like to keep track of how English is used outside the USA.  That way my help is not limited to my native dialect, American English.  For example, the spout in the kitchen or bathroom that you can get water from is usually called the "faucet" in the US, but I know that it's known as the "tap" in other countries (and in some US states).

My question is whether or not other English-speaking countries make the same distinction between "jail" and "prison" that the US does.  Here in the USA those two words mean very different things.  If a police officer arrests someone, that person is taken to jail, not to prison.  Then, depending on the severity of the alleged crime, and on whether the person is considered a flight risk, the person is either released on bail or is held in jail until the trial.  Then if the person is convicted, he might be sentenced to go to prison.

In short, a prison is a place where people convicted of a crime are locked up as their punishment.  A jail, on the other hand, is usually where an arrested person gets locked up before there's a trial.  There are a few exceptions.  It is possible for someone convicted of a less serious time to do time in jail as a punishment.  However, most of the time, a jail is a police-run temporary lockup place, while prison is where a convicted person serves their sentence.

It would appear that French does not make this same distinction that US-English makes.  I also wonder if other English-speaking countries make the distinction.  If you're from another English-speaking country such as Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, or another one, I would appreciate it if you would let me know how these terms are used in your country.  I think Canada might do it the same as the US, but I'm not certain.  Thanks.

Answer

I'm from Britain and I'd say no. I'd use (and hear) prison far more but they're interchangeable. They're both institutions where prisoners are held for punishment after being convicted of a crime.

(Interesting that a prisoner and a gaoler are opposites 🙂)

Answer

Americans do have a fixation with law; but mostly the punishment side of things. That is self-evident. Odd for a country that claims to be so interested in the persuit of freedom.

Jail is a totally awful situation in the states: it depends what state you are located when those with uniforms decide you are on the wrong side of the law. The legal system is so defunct that folks can spend years there without trial. The UK (for one) only does that to people whom the US wants locked up on its' behalf: think, Julian Assange.

Incarceration rates are worse than anywere else in the western world. And it's not a good idea to be non-white, as the US Justice system is biased towards keeping whites out of prison - and rich, whites seem to benefit form this the most.

Prison services in The US are vastly profitable private money-making machiness which make more fortunes in America that some entire countries around the world could muster and certainly wouldn't in such a profoundly unethical fashion.

Any qestions?

Maybe next time, less of the law and order card, huh?

Answer

I'm British. I'm not aware of a distinction between jail (or gaol) and prison in Britain. However a cell in a police station (also known as a holding cell) would not be referred to as a jail (or gaol) or prison.

As far as I am aware, people who are held on remand in the UK are in the same prisons as the general prison population. I don't know whether prisoners on remand are separated from convicts. I do know that some categories of convicts are separated from other categories of convicts and may be held in different types of prisons, such as open prisons (maybe for non-violent offenders with a history of good behaviour in prison) where escape is not necessarily physically prevented.

Not an expert on any of this mind.

Answer

In Canada:

In general I think people use jail and prison interchangeably. People say jail more often.

Here's some other info that you might find interesting:

The correctional system is split -- if you get two years or more going forward you're sent to a penitentiary which is run by the federal government. Two years less a day going forward and you stay in the provincial system. Most people want to avoid the pen.

People waiting for trial or sentencing can be held in remand centres (or be held in other provincial institutions).

RCMP or city police have cells that are not meant for more than a brief stay.

Usually I would say someone who was in the provincial system was in jail but say someone in the pen was... in the pen so that it was clear they were doing more serious time.