Whoever is imprisoned is deprived of his freedom.
Prisoner is someone who is in a prison . A prisoner, therefore, is a person who is deprived of his freedom and who is forced to remain in a place of confinement . For example: “I was imprisoned for eight years for a crime that I did not commit,” “Two prisoners escaped from a maximum security prison,” “The kidnapper stated that, before going to prison, he prefers to die.”
The State , through the Judiciary , is the entity that determines which individuals should be imprisoned. Sending a person to prison is a possible punishment for certain crimes: the sentence must be confirmed after a trial in which the accused has certain guarantees and can exercise his or her right to defense.
If the defendant is found guilty and the law indicates that the punishment for the crime he committed is confinement in prison, the individual must spend a certain amount of time behind bars. At that time, therefore, he will be a prisoner.
The existence of this type of punishment aims to reeducate the prisoner, act as a deterrent for those who think of committing a crime and protect the rest of the citizens from individuals who, due to their behavior , may be dangerous.
The life of prisoners
The reality of people who go to prison is ignored by the majority of the population , as demonstrated by various studies and books written by ex-convicts that seek to open people's eyes regarding life behind bars . First of all, it is important to mention that although in certain parts of the world such as China , the United States , Latin America and some African countries, prisons can be true hells, there are places in which the needs of prisoners are respected and even They are offered opportunities to grow.
When an individual is sentenced to prison time, it is normal for judges to decide which establishment to send him to; To do this, they usually evaluate the details of the case and take into account the impression they got of the person during the judicial process. For example, if the crime is rape and the accused was violent and insolent in court, it is very likely that he will not receive any mercy and will be sent to the worst prison possible.
It is worth mentioning that within a prison, not everyone lives the same reality or receives the same treatment . Typically, these buildings are divided into several wings (also called pavilions ), each intended for a well-defined group of people; Depending on the country and the possibilities, it is common for one of these wings to house mainly foreign prisoners. The most violent people also tend to be grouped together, making their ward much more dangerous than, for example, that of the elderly.
In prisons there are various security measures so that prisoners do not escape.
The psychological consequences
In any case, spending months or years in a cell, isolated from the rest of society , without the possibility of meeting friends, sleeping in a comfortable and warm bed, going out to enjoy the sun and nature, among many other restrictions. , has a very high price on a psychological level .
As if this were not enough, during holidays such as Christmas and New Year , prisoners' morale is especially low, as society seems to ignore them more than usual.
Another use of the term prisoner
Another use of the concept of prisoner refers to someone who has submitted due to an emotion, a mood or a feeling .
“In a fit of rage, the man hit the police officer repeatedly until he was unconscious” and “I was a prisoner of anguish for years: luckily, a psychologist helped me get through it” are expressions that show this meaning.