Translation guide
A reformatory is a correctional institution for young offenders, focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment. In Japanese, the term is expressed through specific legal and institutional vocabulary, with distinctions between juvenile and adult facilities.
A facility for rehabilitating young offenders, similar to a youth detention center or reform school.
The standard term for a juvenile reformatory in Japan, where young offenders (usually 14–19) receive correctional education.
彼は窃盗で少年院に送られた。
He was sent to a reformatory for theft.
An older term for a reformatory, now largely replaced by 少年院. Still understood but less common.
戦前は教護院が非行少年を収容していた。
Before the war, reformatories housed juvenile delinquents.
A modern welfare-oriented facility for children who have committed minor offenses or need behavioral support. Not strictly a reformatory but serves a similar function.
その少年は児童自立支援施設で更生した。
The boy was rehabilitated at a children's self-reliance support facility.
A prison or institution aimed at reforming adult criminals, though 'reformatory' is less common for adults.
General term for prison. While not specifically a 'reformatory,' it is the closest equivalent when referring to adult correctional facilities.
彼は刑務所で更生プログラムを受けた。
He underwent a rehabilitation program in prison.
A broader term for correctional institutions, including prisons and juvenile facilities, emphasizing correction and reform.
矯正施設の役割は犯罪者の社会復帰を助けることだ。
The role of correctional facilities is to help offenders reintegrate into society.
Referring to reformatories in other countries or historical contexts.
When discussing foreign reformatories, 少年院 is often used with a clarifying phrase, as the concept is similar.
19世紀のイギリスでは、少年院が非行少年の更生に使われた。
In 19th-century England, reformatories were used to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents.
Historical term for reformatory, used in pre-war Japan and sometimes for foreign institutions. Rare in modern usage.
感化院は戦前の日本で非行少年を収容した。
Reformatories housed juvenile delinquents in pre-war Japan.
The direct loanword リフォーマトリー is not commonly used or understood in Japanese. Stick to native terms like 少年院.
少年院 is specifically for juveniles (usually under 20), while 刑務所 is for adults. Using 刑務所 for a juvenile facility would be incorrect.