Confinados

Confinados is a Portuguese term used to describe people who are confined or restricted in their movement. The word is used across Portuguese-speaking countries to refer to inmates, detainees, or individuals subjected to confinement in various contexts.

Etymology: The term comes from the verb confinar, with the suffix -ado. The feminine form is confinada, and the plural is confinados (masculine) or confinadas (feminine).

Context and usage: In criminal justice, confinement refers to deprivation of liberty in a correctional facility, under detention, or under house arrest. The expression confinados can denote prisoners, detainees, or people under confinement orders, and it is sometimes used in media to refer collectively to inmates. In public health and social measures, confinement describes quarantine or isolation measures applied to individuals or groups to prevent the spread of disease; confinados in this sense are those kept in isolation. The concept also appears in historical and political discussions about penal policy or political imprisonment, where opponents were confined. In literature and journalism, confinados may be used to evoke imprisonment, lack of freedom, or control.

Related terms: Confinamento denotes the act or process of confining, while related concepts include prisão (prison), detenção (detention), and isolamento (isolation). The precise meaning of confinados varies by country and legal framework, reflecting different norms about punishment, public health, and individual rights.