Is there a jail besides Azkaban for short-term sentences?

Question

There are a number of crimes that in the real world result in short-term jail sentences. For instance, driving under the influence in California results in a minimum 48-hour jail sentence (or a license restriction). Other crimes may also have short sentences that are a matter of days.

The only jail that I know about in Harry Potter is Azkaban, and sending someone there for flying a broomstick under the influence seems…harsh. Is there any evidence that such short-term jails exist? If not, are there alternative punishments for less severe crimes that prevent the need for such short-term jail time?

Answer 1

Probably not.

Pottermore tells us that Azkaban was set up as a replacement for smaller prisons, suggesting that these were shut down when Azkaban became the main wizarding prison:

Once the International Statute of Secrecy had been imposed, the Ministry of Magic felt that the small wizarding prisons that existed up and down the country in various towns and villages posed a security risk, because attempts by incarcerated witches and wizards to break out often led to undesirable bangs, smells and light shows. A purpose-built prison, located on some remote Hebridean island, was preferred, and plans had been drawn up when Damocles Rowle became Minister for Magic.

Rowle was an authoritarian who had risen to power on an anti-Muggle agenda, capitalising on the anger felt by much of the wizarding community at being forced to go underground. Sadistic by nature, Rowle scrapped the plans for the new prison at once and insisted on using Azkaban. He claimed that the Dementors living there were an advantage: they could be harnessed as guards, saving the Ministry time, trouble and expense.

In spite of opposition from many wizards, among them experts on both Dementors and buildings with Azkaban’s kind of Dark history, Rowle carried out his plan and soon a steady trickle of prisoners had been placed there. None ever emerged. If they were not mad and dangerous before being placed in Azkaban, they swiftly became so.

And we know that minor offences such as Apparating without a licence are punishable by fines instead of incarceration, as seen in this answer, based on the following quote (emphasis mine):

"You have to pass a test to Apparate?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes," said Mr Weasley, tucking the tickets safely into the back pocket of his jeans. "The Department of Magical transportation had to fine a couple of people the other day for Apparating without a licence. It's not easy, Apparition, and when it's not done properly it can lead to nasty complications. This pair I'm talking about went and splinched themselves."

[...]

Harry had a sudden vision of a pair of legs and an eyeball lying abandoned on the pavement of Privet Drive.

"Were they OK?" he asked, startled.

"Oh yes," said Mr Weasley matter-of-factly. "But they got a heavy fine, and I don't think they'll be trying it again in a hurry. You don't mess around with Apparition."

_{-- HP and the Goblet of Fire}

Answer 2

It doesn't seem that way, and there are a couple of pieces of evidence for this. First is Malfoy's description of Azkaban as the wizard prison:

'Azkaban - the wizard prison, Goyle,' said Malfoy, looking at him in disbelief. 'Honestly, if you were any slower you'd be going backwards.'

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - p.167 - Bloomsbury - Chapter 12, The Polyjuice Potion

The same description is given to Lily by Snape:

'They wouldn't give you to the Dementors for that! Dementors are for people who do really bad stuff. They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban. You're not going to end up in Azkaban, you're too -'

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - p.536 - Bloomsbury - Chapter 33, The Prince's Tale

And the second is that Hagrid is later sent to Azkaban purely for precautionary, preventative detention, as an interim, without any trial.

So it certainly seems to me like there's only one place you can be incarcerated. It seems like if Azkaban is too harsh a sentence, wizards would be more likely to use an alternative to incarceration than to use some kind of minimum security prison.

Answer 3

Well there are other prisons - one at least is Nurmengard, where Grindelwald is imprisoned after Dumbledore defeats him.

From "The Deathly Hallows":

Dumbledore: They say he (Grindelwald) showed remorse in later years, alone in his cell at Nurmengard.

Of course this is probably not a prison for short-term sentences - if anything, it's the opposite as Grindelwald has presumably been there for 50-some years before Voldemort finally offs him. But then, it might be for all sorts of sentences above fine-level, so I figured it was worth mentioning.

Answer 4

There are evidently short-term holding cells at the Ministry of Magic. The first time we see Sirius Black during his trial, he is chained up to an elevated platform which presumably leads to a cell somewhere in the Ministry. (Assuming it's not directly connected to Azkaban via some sort of magical portal - which seems like it would be a pretty serious security hole if that were the case.) If there's one cell at the Ministry, it's not unreasonable to assume there are others. Whether they would be used for petty crimes such as drunk broomstick flying or the like, I couldn't say.