Are there state prison and federal prisons?
Is there a difference between prison and jail?
Where are the conditions harshest?
I am from England so don't have a clue. I just heard on a cop show someone tell a criminal they could fix it so he went to jail not prison?
2006-09-10 09:52:41 · 9 answers · asked by Bebe 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Federal prisons are for those who break national laws like tax evasion, interstate crime, and such.
State prisons are for violators of state laws like robbery, murder, and most drug violations.
Jails can be either county or city administrated. They are usually for people who commit minor crimes like burglary or disorderly conduct. They are also used to hold prisoners who are awaiting trial and can't post bail.
Prisons usually are worse than jails because inmates there are usually hardened criminals who will be serving a long sentence and most of them just don't care if they have to assault or even kill another prisoner who makes them mad.
The strangest thing about the US prison system is the inequality in sentencing. Somebody who is caught growing marijuana could serve more time than a murder, and a robber who steals somebody's wallet is punished worse than an executive that robs a company of millions.
2006-09-10 10:07:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, There are state and federal prisons.
The Difference between prison and jail is that prison is where your sentence is held. Jail is the cell in the police station, and is used when the police find you doing something wrong and your awaiting trial. The conditions are the harshest in federal prisons. The prison system in the US is the same in the UK.
2006-09-10 16:58:53 · answer #2 · answered by Dr. Nick 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hello, the system is very complex and can vary from state to state.
In general Jail is operated by a city or county. It is where people waiting for court will be held if they do not make bail.
And where people service sentences of less than one year.
( less than two in some areas)
Prisons are operated by both the state and the Federal Government, There are various levels of secuity in both, and how the inmate is housed and what they get to do will be decided by thier secuirty level.
In the worst, they will be housed for 23 hours a day in a walled cell with no windows, They will have 1 hour of "yard" time each day if they will do what is required to go to the yard.
(even this case they can be punished with no yard if they misbehave)
Normally time in alot of jails can be worst, since they don't have nice facilities or things for the prisioners to do like they do in general populationin prison.
but no a police officer ( cop) has nothing to do with if they go to jail or prison, that is up to the judge and/or the crime they do
2006-09-10 17:01:06 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is federal, which is the National government, the state, which is the individual state, and the jail, which is the county. There are pros and cons to each. Jail ,you stay closer to home, assuming that you are arrested closer to home, but, you are more restricted. (Of course, this is all to varying degrees, as each state's laws vary). State, you can be placed anywhere in the state, according to your offense, and your risk level, also, you get credit for "good time"-- meaning that if you behave yourself, and show that you are making an effort to be a productive inmate, then you get time taken off for good behavior. With the federal, you can be placed anywhere in this country, and I have heard that the time is easier to do, but they are very strict on how you do it. There is no "good time"-- you MUST do 85% of your time, then, and only then will they consider release. Does this help?
2006-09-11 01:57:55 · answer #4 · answered by rinehartstacy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you comit a state offense, you go to state prison. If you comit a federal offense (one that crosses state lines or is perpetrated at an airport etc.) you go to a federal penitentiary. Prisons are for high risk offenders sand are high security. Jails are for short-term offenders and are used for people awaiting trial. Neither are very nice but prisons are much nastier.
2006-09-10 16:57:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
in the state of Texas there is city jail, county jail, state jail (7mtnhs-5yrs), state prison (2yrs-life/death), feaderal penetentry
Each state varries depending on the crime is the severity of the jail u go to city and county is usually a few days to a few months federal is usually forhigh lvl white colar crimes
and u can be in a jail and serve your full time not as a temp. stay area it really depends on the city county and state but the set up i gave is how most are set up even though most states only have one state prison instead of state prison/state jail like texas
2006-09-10 16:59:25 · answer #6 · answered by Errol A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a jail is a local facility to house detainee prior to processing by the court system or a place to serve short tem sentances
a prison is a long term facility to house convicted persons.
prisons are typically run by large municilpalities, counties and states and the feds.
2006-09-10 17:13:06 · answer #7 · answered by Tim D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My understanding is this: jail is a temporary holding place located at the police quarters until official court hearings and such are completed, prison is where they finally end up when sentanced...(I might be wrong, though).
2006-09-10 16:58:05 · answer #8 · answered by adrift feline 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
federal pound me in the *** prisons are bad
2006-09-10 16:57:51 · answer #9 · answered by DM 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋