Both house arrest and prison are forms of punishment in the criminal justice system. Both involve some form of confinement. However, a prison sentence is much more serious than house arrest. A prison is a specific state-run institution where convicted felons are sent to live for a period of time. They act as both punishments for the criminal and protection for society from the criminal. House arrest is an alternative to prison, where it allows the offender more freedom and comfort. The goal of house arrest is to keep them out of the prison system and to allow them to continue to function as part of society by allowing them to continue to live in their homes, work at their jobs, and so on.