Prison
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia · John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
A public building for confining persons, either to insure their production, in court, as accused persons and witnesses, or to punish them as criminals. The root is French, as is shown by the Norman prisons, prisoners; Kelham, Norm. Fr. Diet.; and Fr. prisons, prisons. Britton, c.
11, de Prisons.
Originally it was distinguished from gaol, which was a place for confinement, not for punishment. See Jacob, Diet. Gaol. But at present there is no such distinction. The United States has no prisons. The joint resolution of September 3, 1789, recommended to the states to authorize state prisons to receive United States prisoners, the latter paying the states for the service. In the absence of a state prison, the marshal, under the jurisdiction of the district judge, may procure a suitable place.
See It. S. $ 5537, 5539; Randolph v. Donaldson, 9 Cra. (U. S.) 76, 3 L. E<L 662.
A federal, prisoner may be incarcerated in any of the jails of the district; Johnson v. Crawford, 354 Fed. 761. See Penitentiary; Gaol; Prisoner; Detainer; Rules.