noun
police detention cell; jail; lockup
Refers specifically to a police detention facility where suspects are held for a short period, distinct from a prison (刑務所). Often used in legal and news contexts.
See also: 留置場
容疑者は留置所に移された。
The suspect was transferred to the police detention cell.
留置所での生活は想像以上に厳しい。
Life in a detention facility is harsher than one might imagine.
刑務所 is a prison for convicted criminals serving longer sentences, whereas 留置所 is a short-term detention facility for suspects awaiting trial or investigation.
Compound of 留置 (りゅうち, 'detention') and 所 (しょ, 'place'). The term is a straightforward Sino-Japanese construction referring to a place of detention.