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Differences in Jails and Prisons

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Differences in Jails and Prisons
CRJ 303: Corrections
09/12/2011

When an individual commits a crime and is found guilty in a court of law, he or she will either be sent to jail or prison. The placement of the individual depends on the type of crime that is committed. Jail and prison are both places to send a criminal to keep them out of society and to do time for the crime that was done. There is a difference between jail and prison. Not everyone goes to jail for a crime. They may be sent to prison to serve his or sentence. In this paper I will discuss the difference between jail and prison.
Jail can be defined as “a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence).” (TFD, 2011) People who go to jail do not serve a long sentence. The will be in jail no more than up to two years or less. The mission for jails is pretty simple, “jails are full service facilities that offer security, food service, medical care, and offender programs.” (Seiter, 2011, Pg. 73) Jails are operated by the by the local government in which it is in. “There are about 3,600 jails in the U.S.” (CL, 2011) Jails are funding by the state that they are located in. The average size of a jail cell is 6 x 8. “Jails don’t have many amenities for people serving time there, since they won’t be there for very long (although a jail sentence can seem like a very very long time). A county jail may have a work release program and services to combat substance abuse and address vocational needs of its inmates — or it may provide only the basic necessities of housing, food, and safety.” (CL, 2011)
Prison can be defined as a place “to hold convicted felons, usually serving a sentence of one year or more.” (Seiter, 2011, Pg. 140)

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