LogFAQs > #978630283

SuperVegitoFAN posted...

Also im not entirely sure about the different between Jail and Prison. I think one of them is before your trial yeah?

Jails are a more local level than prisons. Generally each city or county has a jail facility for pre-trial detention but also for short term incarceration, generally six months to a year. These are located near or even in the city/county courthouse for convenience as inmates are more likely to have more frequent court appearances. They generally have little to no rehabilitation services and are merely secure containment.

Prisons are for those who have been sentenced to longer terms, above that six months to a year time frame. These are at the state or federal level since transfers to and from courthouses for court appearances are rare. This has the down side of often moving the inmates away from family and friends which makes visiting more difficult but allows for more long term services and, for lack of a better word, amenities. The facilities for long term mental health services, education, job training, etc. can be more economically provided to a larger, longer term prison population than to the smaller, more transient population of a jail.