detention / attachment
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detention
A punishment in which a person is confined for a certain period of time, especially in the case of juveniles, students, or soldiers. It is a form of deprivation of liberty that is milder than a prison sentence.
Wegen wiederholten Schwänzens bekam der Schüler eine Woche Arrest.
Because of repeated truancy, the student got a week of detention.
attachment
A legal measure for the provisional securing of civil-law claims. In this process, a person's assets may be seized, or the person themselves may be briefly detained, in order to prevent them from avoiding payment.
Das Gericht ordnete den Arrest des Kontos an, um die Forderung des Gläubigers zu sichern.
The court ordered the attachment of the account in order to secure the creditor's claim.
'Der Arrest' usually means a mild form of deprivation of liberty for juveniles or students (detention). It is not the same as the English word 'arrest', which corresponds to the police term 'Festnahme' (arrest).
Weil er die Schule geschwänzt hat, hat er zwei Tage Arrest bekommen.
Because he skipped school, he got two days of detention.
In connection with punishments for young people, typical phrases are: 'Arrest bekommen' (to get detention), 'jemandem Arrest geben' (to give someone detention), or 'Stubenarrest haben' (to be grounded / have room confinement).
Seine Eltern haben ihm für eine Woche Stubenarrest gegeben.
His parents grounded him for a week.
The construction 'unter Arrest stehen' describes the state of being confined. The active form is 'jemanden unter Arrest stellen' (to place someone under detention/arrest).
Der Soldat wurde wegen Befehlsverweigerung unter Arrest gestellt.
The soldier was placed under detention for refusing to obey orders.
You can recognize the legal meaning from words from the financial and legal fields, such as 'Gericht' (court), 'Vermögen' (assets), 'Konto' (account), or 'Gläubiger' (creditor). Here it is about securing money or property.
Das Gericht hat den Arrest des gesamten Vermögens des Schuldners angeordnet.
The court ordered the attachment of the debtor's entire assets.
custody / imprisonment
Haft generally refers to deprivation of liberty by the police or courts, or to a prison sentence. Arrest is a limited, milder punishment, especially for juveniles, students, or soldiers. Haft is therefore usually the appropriate term in a normal criminal-law context.
Der Soldat bekam wegen des Verstoßes gegen die Dienstordnung drei Tage Arrest.
The soldier was given three days’ detention for violating military regulations.
Der Soldat kam wegen einer schweren Straftat in Haft.
The soldier was imprisoned for a serious crime.
