4TH PILLAR

DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. Amnesty – a general pardon for offenses against a government primarily in case where whole
groups, classes or sects are involved.
2. Commitment Order – a written order of a court or authority consigning a prisoner to a jail or
prison to detention.
3. Contraband – anything that enters a jail in violation of its rules, or which an inmate is prohibited
to possess.
2. Corporal Punishment – physical injury inflicted on the body of prison particularly on one
convicted of a crime; like flogging, etc.
3. Detainee – a person who detained for the violation of law or ordinance and has not yet been
convicted.
4. Escape Prone Prisoner – a prisoner having the natural inclination to evade custody against the
will of the custodian or from the place where he is held in lawful custody or confinement.
5. Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) – a reward for good conduct whereby a prisoner
receives partial remission or reduction of his prison sentence.
6. Jail – a place for confinement for persons awaiting court action and the convicted offenders serving
short sentences.
7. Lock up Security Facility – operated by police units for its temporary detention of persons held
for investigation.
8. Mittimus – a warrant issued by a court bearing its seal and the signature of the judge directing the
jail or prison authorities to receive the convicted offender for service of sentence imposed therein.
9. Pardon – an act of grace and a sovereign power inherent in the state, which exempts the individual
from the punishment, which the law imposes for his crime.
10. Parole – the conditional release of a person from jail / prison prior to the full service of his
sentence on his own recognizance.
11. Prisoner – a person confined in jail to serve a prison sentence after conviction by a competent
court of authority.
12. Proselytizing – to convert or induce another to change his religious belief, sect, or the like, to
another.
13. Reformation – the act of restoring to a good condition, reestablished in good repute or accept
respectability; restore to a formal standing, rank, right or privileges.
14. Safekeeping – temporary custody of a person or the detention of a person for his own protection
or care to secure from liability, harm, injury or danger.
15. Sentenced Prisoner – a person who is convicted by a final judgment and classified as follows:
a. Insular Prisoner – a person who is sentenced to a prison term of over three (3) or to pay
a fine of more than one thousand pesos (1,000) or both fine and imprisonment.
b. City Prisoner – a person who is sentenced to serve imprisonment for not more than three
(3) years or to pay a fine of not more than one thousand pesos (1,000) or both fine and
imprisonment.
c. Municipal Prisoner – a person who is sentenced to serve imprisonment for not more
than six (6) months.
16. Suicide Risk – a person prone to taking his own life.
17. Tattooing – the act of pricking and making mark patterns on the skin with indelible pigments
(BJMP Management Manual)

PURPOSES OF CORRECTIONS AND SENTENCING

1. Deterrence (General Prevention) – is the “prevented effect with actual or threatened punishment
of offenders has upon potential offenders”. The doctrine of deterrence shows the aim of the state to
prevent crime in order to have a peaceful society. Whatever the opinion of some authorities to the
contrary, it cannot be denied that this doctrine has preventive effect to criminal activities compared
to other social restraints.
2. Rehabilitation – In the process to help the criminals to adjust to society and to avoid deviant
behavior several measures were undertaken to rehabilitate them. To cite a few, these are vocational
training, counselling and therapeutic treatment.
3. Reintegration – These is similar to the rehabilitative model in the sense that it considers the
offenders need for assistance. In the same vein, this process submits that the criminal behavior was
due to the gap between the criminal and the community. For this reason, the offender must be assisted
to strive hard to face the forces in the society or community which he will join upon his release from
jail/prison.
4. Isolation of Prisoners – There is a wide consensus to insulate the criminals from the law-abiding
citizens so as not to pollute them. In modern times in order to attain this idea of isolation led to the
building of prisons and penal colonies geared to protect the members of society from the influence
of the lawless elements.

5. Punishment – An accused found guilty of an offense in the Philippines maybe convicted in the
following penalties:
 Reclusion Perpetua (Life Imprisonment)- refers to a prison term of up to 40 years
without parole.
 Reclusion Temporal- refers to a prison term ranging from 12 years and 1 day to 20 years.
  Prison Mayor- refers to a prison term ranging from 6 years and 1 day to 12 years.
 Prison Correctional- refers to a prison term ranging from one day to six years.
 Arresto Mayor- refers to a penalty involving imprisonment for one month and one day to
six months.
 Arresto Menor- refers to a penalty involving imprisonment for one day to thirty days.
 Destierro- It refers to the exclusion of the convict from a specific place or territorial
jurisdiction, usually a province, city, or municipality. the distance for destierro can vary
depending on the court's decision and the circumstances of the case. This could range from
relocating within the same region to being banished to a different island or even outside the
country, depending on the court's discretion.

8. Perpetual Absolute Disqualification- is a legal penalty in the Philippines that entails the
permanent prohibition of a person from holding public office or exercising the right to vote, as well
as from participating in any public election or being appointed to any public office. This penalty is
typically imposed for certain grave offenses, such as treason, bribery, graft and corruption, and other
offenses involving public trust.
9. Temporary Absolute Disqualification- is a legal penalty that entails the temporary prohibition
of a person from holding public office, exercising the right to vote, participating in public elections,
or being appointed to any public office. This penalty is typically imposed for certain offenses, often
involving moral turpitude or offenses against the electoral process.
10. Suspension from Public Office, The Right to Vote and be Voted for, The Right to Follow
a Profession or Calling- refers to a legal penalty that involves temporarily prohibiting an individual
from holding public office, exercising their right to vote, being eligible for candidacy in elections, or
practicing their profession or occupation. This penalty may be imposed as a disciplinary measure for
certain offenses or violations of the law.
11. Public Censure- is a disciplinary measure or penalty that involves formally reprimanding an
individual or entity for their actions or behavior. It is a form of official condemnation or criticism,
often issued by a governing body, regulatory agency, or judicial authority. Public censure does not
involve any tangible punishment such as fines, imprisonment, or loss of rights, but it serves as a formal
acknowledgment of wrongdoing and may have reputational consequences.
12. Fine (Arts. 70 and 71, Revised Penal Code