Legal Definitions - institutionalize

To institutionalize means either to place a person in an institution, such as a hospital or correctional facility. Alternatively, it refers to the act of formally establishing or giving official sanction to a rule, practice, or custom within a system or organization.

The term institutionalize has two primary meanings:

• 1. To place a person in an institution.

  This refers to the act of formally admitting or committing an individual to a specialized facility, such as a hospital, long-term care home, or correctional facility, typically for care, treatment, or custody.

  • Example 1: After a severe accident left him with significant brain injuries requiring constant medical supervision and rehabilitation, the court decided to institutionalize the patient in a specialized neurological care facility.

    Explanation: This illustrates the first meaning as the patient is formally placed into a medical institution for ongoing care due to their condition.

  • Example 2: When an elderly woman's dementia progressed to the point where she could no longer safely live alone, her family made the difficult decision to institutionalize her in a memory care residence that could provide 24-hour supervision and support.

    Explanation: Here, the term refers to the formal placement of an individual into a residential care institution designed to meet their specific needs.

• 2. To establish a rule, practice, or idea as a formal and accepted part of a system or society.

  This meaning describes the process of making something a standard, official, or deeply ingrained part of an organization, culture, or legal framework, giving it formal recognition and permanence.

  • Example 1: Following years of successful pilot programs, the school district decided to institutionalize the new STEM curriculum across all elementary schools, making it a mandatory component of their educational standards.

    Explanation: This demonstrates the second meaning because the STEM curriculum is being formally adopted and made a permanent, official part of the school district's educational system.

  • Example 2: Many tech companies have worked to institutionalize flexible work-from-home policies, moving beyond temporary arrangements to make remote work a standard, officially recognized option for their employees.

    Explanation: In this context, "institutionalize" means to formally establish and integrate flexible work policies into the company's permanent operational structure, making them an official practice.

  • Example 3: After a series of public safety incidents, the city council voted to institutionalize a new community policing initiative, creating a permanent department and allocating dedicated funding to ensure its ongoing operation.

    Explanation: This example shows the city council formally adopting and embedding the community policing initiative into the city's official governmental structure, giving it lasting status and resources.