U.S. military prisons run by the Department of Defense accommodate prisoners of war, enemy combatants, those whose freedom is deemed a national security risk by military or civilian authorities, and members of the military found guilty of a serious crime.

While every country has these prisons, the Geneva Conventions dictates the international protocol to safeguard for prisoners of war.

The U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is the only maximum security prison in the Department of Defense and is used for long terms of confinement.

The closest military prison to Los Angeles is the Air Force Regional Confinement Facility at Edwards Air Force Base on the border of Los Angeles County.