Legal Definitions - confine

To confine someone means to restrict their freedom of movement by keeping them within a specific place, often under legal authority. This restriction can be for various reasons, such as a form of punishment, for public safety, or while awaiting legal proceedings.

• Example 1: Pre-Trial Detention

  After being arrested for a serious felony, a suspect is ordered by a judge to be held in a county detention center until their trial date. The judge determined the suspect was a flight risk and a danger to the community.

  This illustrates confinement because the individual's liberty is legally restricted, and they are compelled to remain within the jail facility, unable to leave until a court order permits it.

• Example 2: Public Health Isolation

  During an outbreak of a highly contagious disease, a person who tested positive is legally mandated by public health officials to remain in a designated isolation unit within a hospital for a specific period to prevent further spread.

  Here, confinement refers to the legal requirement for the individual to stay within the hospital ward, limiting their movement for the protection and safety of the broader community.

• Example 3: Juvenile Placement

  A juvenile court judge rules that a minor who committed a serious offense must be placed in a secure residential treatment facility for several months as part of their rehabilitation and disposition.

  This is an example of confinement because the minor's freedom is restricted, and they are required to reside within the facility's boundaries, unable to leave without authorization, as a consequence of their actions.