Inmates: meaning, definitions and examples

Inmates refers broadly to people confined in an institution such as a prison or jail. This term can also be used in other settings like a psychiatric institution, but it is most commonly associated with prisons.

• The prison warden addressed the concerns of the inmates.
• During the lockdown, all inmates were confined to their cells.

Prisoners are individuals who have been deprived of their freedom and are held in a prison. This term is generally neutral and can be interchangeably used with inmates.

• The prisoners were allowed one hour of exercise each day.
• He spent five years as a prisoner before his release.

Convicts are individuals who have been found guilty and sentenced in a court of law. This term has a slightly older feel and often is used in legal or historical contexts.

• The convicts were transferred to a maximum-security facility.
• In historical accounts, the convicts were often sentenced to hard labor.

Detainees are people held in custody, often while awaiting trial or during questioning. This term is frequently used in the context of administrative, immigration, or military detention.

• The detainees awaited their court hearing in a holding facility.
• International agencies often advocate for the humane treatment of detainees.