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== J Ward ==

'''J Ward''' (pronounced "jay ward") is a historical site in Ararat, Victoria, Australia, which served as a prison and later a psychiatric hospital from 1859 to 1991. 

=== Etymology ===

The name "J Ward" is derived from its original designation as a ward within the Ararat County Gaol. The letter "J" was simply the next available letter in the alphabet when the ward was established.

=== History ===

[[J Ward]] was initially built as a goldfields prison in 1859. It was later converted into a maximum-security housing for the criminally insane in 1887, where it functioned as such until its closure in 1991. 

=== Related Terms ===

* [[Psychiatric hospital]]: A hospital specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. J Ward functioned as a psychiatric hospital for over a century.
* [[Criminally insane]]: A legal term for a person diagnosed with mental illness who has committed a crime. J Ward housed many such individuals.
* [[Ararat, Victoria]]: The city in Australia where J Ward is located.
* [[Goldfields prison]]: A type of prison in the gold-mining regions of Australia during the gold rush. J Ward was originally built as a goldfields prison.

=== See Also ===

* [[Aradale Mental Hospital]]: Another psychiatric hospital in Ararat, Victoria, which operated during the same period as J Ward.
* [[History of psychiatric institutions]]: For more information on the history and evolution of institutions like J Ward.

[[Category:Historical Sites]]
[[Category:Psychiatric Hospitals]]
[[Category:Prisons in Australia]]
[[Category:Ararat, Victoria]]

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