carceral

American  

[kahr-suh-ruhl] / ˈkɑr sə rəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to prison or imprisonment, or to other formal methods of social control.

   This book is a blueprint for policymakers to reform practices and for concerned citizens to understand our changing carceral landscape.

   Critics claim that these policies could result in an expanding carceral state.

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Etymology

Origin of carceral

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin carcerālis, equivalent to carcer “prison” + -ālis -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

The county, which is responsible for the safety of children inside juvenile carceral facilities and foster care, has seen more than 12,000 claims and counting since the law took effect in 2020.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025

You've also talked a lot about carceral societies and a wide variety of carceral situations.

From Salon • May 8, 2025

Anecdotes from pregnant people paint a grim picture of the state of maternal health care in the carceral system.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2025

But it is also a living record of the recent history of the carceral system in the U.S. in general and in California in particular.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2025

I reflected on how mass imprisonment has littered the national landscape with carceral monuments of reckless and excessive punishment and ravaged communities with our hopeless willingness to condemn and discard the most vulnerable among us.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson