noun
police cell; detention facility; jail
A facility where police temporarily detain suspects or prisoners, distinct from a prison (刑務所). Often used in legal and news contexts.
容疑者は留置場に移された。
The suspect was transferred to the police cell.
留置場での生活
Life in the detention facility is bound by strict rules.
拘置所 is a detention center for suspects awaiting trial, often under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, whereas 留置場 is under police authority.
Compound of 留置 (りゅうち, 'detention') and 場 (じょう, 'place'). The term is a straightforward legal and administrative compound.