penitentiary

The term penitentiary is derived from the Latin term paenitentia , meaning repentance. A penitentiary refers to a prison or place of confinement used to hold and correct criminals who have been convicted of felonies . In the Roman Catholic Church, a penitentiary refers to a tribunal of the Roman Curia, presided over by a cardinal, with jurisdiction over matters such as confession, penance, and dispensation.

[Last updated in April of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

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• lawsuits-court
• criminal law

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