jail or prison

[zoobinshid]

Hello everyone,
Would you please tell me the difference between these words?

1) Jail.
2) prison.
3) gaol.
4) guardhouse.
5) house of correction.


Thanks in advance,

[Marylin]

Hello everyone,
Would you please tell me the difference between these words?

1) Jail.
2) prison.
3) gaol.
4) guardhouse.
5) house of correction.


Thanks in advance,

1) Jail - detention for people awaiting trial.
2. Prison - place for offenders after the trial ( after being sentenced).
3. ?
4. Guardhouse is the building within the jail that is situated right at the front, controlling all the vehicle, staff and inmate traffic, heavily manned, armed and monitored. ( in Canada)
5. House of correction - detention for minor crime offenders.

[Tomasz Klimkiewicz]

'gaol' is a variant spelling of 'jail', with the same pronunciation.
Regards,
Tee Kay

[mykwyner]

In the U.S., prison, correctional center, penitentiary, work farm, house of correction(s) and correctional institution all mean the same thing i.e. a place where convicted felons are imprisoned for sentences of usually more than one year. A jail is a place for both detaining suspects awaiting trial, and where people convicted of lesser crimes (misdemeanors) serve short sentences.