Penology (from the Latin poena, "punishment") is a section of criminology that deals with the philosophy and practice^{[citation needed]} of various societies in their attempts to repress criminal activities, and satisfy public opinion via an appropriate treatment regime for persons convicted of criminal offenses.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines penology as "the study of the punishment of crime and prison management", and in this sense it equivalent with corrections.

Penology is concerned with the effectiveness of those social processes devised and adopted for the prevention of crime, via the repression or inhibition of criminal intent via the fear of punishment. The study of penology therefore deals with the treatment of prisoners and the subsequent rehabilitation of convicted criminals. It also encompasses aspects of probation (rehabilitation of offenders in the community) as well as penitentiary science relating to the secure detention and retraining of offenders committed to secure institutions.