What's the difference between the County Jail and the State Prison?

Question

So besides the sentence time, any difference in prisoner cells, and treatment? Or is it the same?

(I didn't give all these thumbs down, answers are helpful)

Answer 1

County jail is a municipal penal institution run by the county district that has jurisdiction within your city. County jail is the lock up where prisoners are sent once their fingerprints return to the police. It is usually reserved for temporary housing while an inmate awaits trial.

County jail is better equipped to hold inmates than the local PD lockup would be able to handle based on capacity issues. Precinct lockups are meant for only temporary detention until an inmate's fingerprint check returns.

County jail is used for longer term detention. It serves the court system. it is run by the sheriff. "County" as the jail is referred to, provides housing, food and transportation of inmates between jail and court.

The state penitentiary is run by the governor. Prison is used to detain felons who have been convicted of crimes and are now serving the sentences handed them by a judge.

Some people in jail are there awaiting transfer to a state prison. in contrast, prison is the final detention for convicted felons.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Jails are run by the local County and are for sentences of less than 1 year confinement time. Anyone SENTENCED to 365 days or more gets sent to State Prison... which is run and operated by... well... the State, obviously.

There is also a Federal Prison System, for prison sentences earned by folks who violate federal law.

Answer 4

In the state of Florida a County Jail is for jail sentences of 12 months or less. Unless a capitol offense has been commited. Any sentence over a year and you go to a state prison.... That is also where executions are done.....

Answer 5

All counties run jails. Jails are all pre-court facilities.
Once an inmate is convicted of a "year-and a day" or more, then they go to the state-run prisons. If the sentence is less than a year, then the inmate goes to the workhouse.

Answer 6

first of all, you answered part of your Q in the Q itself. One is a jail, the other a prison. Think of the Andy Griffith show. Andy ran a county jail. The real bad guys were carted off to prison by the troopers for longer stays. Almost anyone can go to jail. That's where Paris Hilton went. If she had killed someone while racing 100mph and drunk, she may have faced prison time, per a judge or jury order. It really takes court proceedings to send someone to a prison.

Answer 7

Jail-opperated by the county sheriff dept.
inmates are pre-arrignment(fresh arrests/facing taril/court perceeding)
or post arrignment (awaiting being sent to prison) Basically if you have any business at court, your at jail.
People sentenced to "county time" for either misdemeanors or felonies.Also houses book and release inmates mostly drunk in public and Duece(dui) violators for 8-12 hours

prison-run by state dept of corrections
house felony inmates
life sentence
death sentence
larger in scale that jail.

Answer 8

County jail is more of a waiting place while people are waiting trail or those that are serving under a certain amount of time. Prison is for those who have already been convicted and are already serving out their sentence.

Answer 9

The time you can serve at it county less than a year state a year or more.

Answer 10

jail is for sentences of under 12 months and prison is for sentences 1 year +.