The word 'penal' is a correct and usable word in written English
It can be used as an adjective to mean "of, related to, or serving as punishment or penalty". For example, you could say: "The penal system in that country is known for its harsh justice".
But it also meant that, just for once, we could have some time off from the modern penal servitude of looking.
She has been at the distant women's penal colony since October, serving the remainder of a two-year sentence on charges of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred".
The US infamously has the world's highest imprisonment rates – but for once, it would make sense to follow an American lead on penal policies.
It was in the area of penal reform that he made his most lasting contribution.
He also contributed a series of learned reports on penal reform during Labour's period out of office between Attlee and Wilson.
With 14-15,000 prisoners and 17 penal colonies, this is one of the largest penal complexes in Europe.
Section 377 of the Malaysian penal code, which criminalises "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" is a relic of the country's days as a British colony.
These carriages, named after the Tsarist prime minister who introduced them in 1906, have been used for over a century to transport prisoners to penal colonies, many in the remote geographical margins.
In many cases, the long journey to the penal colonies is simply too expensive or too difficult for ageing parents, partners or young children to make.
Its briefing shines a light on some of the murkiest corners of our penal system and throws into sharp relief the urgent need for reform of our youth justice system.
It is true that same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults have been illegal in Uganda ever since the British introduced their penal code at the beginning of the 20th century.
