noun
camp; detention facility; shelter
Broad term for any facility where people are housed, often under control or for protection. Covers internment camps, POW camps, concentration camps, refugee camps, and similar institutions. Context determines the specific type.
戦時中、多くの日系人が収容所に送られた。
During the war, many Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps.
難民たちは国境近くの収容所で保護されている。
The refugees are being sheltered at a camp near the border.
避難所 is a shelter for evacuees during disasters, emphasizing temporary safety. 収容所 can also be temporary but often carries a stronger nuance of being placed under authority, and is used for longer-term or forced stays.
Compound of 収容 (しゅうよう, 'accommodation, housing') + 所 (じょ, 'place'). The word itself is a straightforward modern compound; the kanji components are used in their standard senses.