any of various gold or silver or electrum coin units or coins of the ancient Greek states or cities. Origin of stater.
What are prisons for? They are used for taking away a person's freedom, as a punishment for breaking laws. They also keep dangerous people away from the public. In the UK prisons try to help prisoners get some skills that make it easier for them to fit back into society as law abiding citizens. That means people in prison can get education and training, it might include doing exams and having a job while they serve their sentence. Until about 200 years ago the main forms of punishment for crimes in England and Wales were execution or being sent to Australia.
Historically, terms such as jailer (also spelled jailor or gaoler), jail guard, prison guard, and turnkey have also been used. In some countries, the Prisons service is part of the Police department. Corrections officers are responsible for the care, custody, and control of individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial while on remand or who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve time in a prison or jail. They are also responsible for the safety and security of the facility itself.