Compare And Contrast Essay: Jail vs. Prison

Jake Knotts said, “If you do the crime, be prepared to do the time!” In the criminal justice world, if a criminal does the crime, they can either do the time in different places. In the United States, there are two different places an individual could go if they committed a crime, which is prison and jail. These places make the world a better and safer place. People use these two words interchangeably because they do not know the difference, they are places bad guys go. Although most people use the words prison and jail interchangeably, they both are beneficial to the public and different from each other.

Even though prisons and jails are different, they have one thing in common which is the reason why they were made. Prisons and jails are confinement facilities. They house hundreds of criminals from the innocent world. Both are made for those who are awaiting trial or who have been convicted of a crime. Keeping these individuals in confinement facilities works because of how the buildings work. They both have high-end security systems to watch the inmates and provides safety to the inmates inside. The high-end security system protects citizens outside of the jail, and the security guards, from the inmates escaping. How the structure of the building protects the inmates inside from each other. For example, giving the violent inmates individual cells. Each of the inmates will be provided entertainment which depends on the sentence of the individual. Prisons and jails’ purpose is to try to protect all from violent crimes. Another thing they both have in common is the punishment they will give to all inmates. Prisons and jails’ main form of punishment is time in solitary confinement. Each of the inmates will be deprived of their right to go anywhere they want; however, they will not be deprived of their 8th Amendment right of cruel and unusual punishment. While inside either prison or jail, the inmates inside are safe from the use of force by law enforcement officers. The duty of both, prison and jail, is to be made for those who have committed a crime, to protect the people inside and out of the building, and both will give the similar punishment of confinement. 

Let’s take a closer look into the works of each facility, such as prison’s jurisdiction, crimes committed to be held there, and the period of sentence for those who committed a crime. Prison has two jurisdictions which include state and federal. Those who are found guilty of committing a state crime, and go against the state law, will go to the jurisdiction under state prison. The same thing goes for those who have broken a federal law, they will go to federal prison. This would make prison the bigger coverage between prison and jail. The obvious reason for going to jail is committing a crime, but what crimes will make an individual go to prison?  Crimes committed to being sentenced to prison are usual felonies. This will include murder, robbery, kidnapping, and many more violent crimes. Big crime will go to the bigger place. Since the crimes committed are serious, the time sentence for people in prison is longer. Prison will have harsher punishments, for example, individuals can be sentenced to life and it will depend on the crime. The main difference between prison and jail is prison is overall for bigger situations. It will cover more jurisdiction, the more violent crimes, and will give the longer punishments. 

Jail is more a part of the smaller criminal justice system. Jail’s jurisdiction, crime committed, and period sentence are different. The jurisdiction of the jails includes cities, local districts, and counties. This would make jails more focused on the local people. The idea of jails is to protect the local community and leaving prison for federal crime. To be sentenced to jail, one will have to commit a misdemeanor. Misdemeanors are known to be minor crimes, for example, shoplifting, speeding, and other non-violent crimes. Since the crimes committed are less violent, the sentence is usually shorter too. For these crimes committed there will not be any harsh punishments needed. Therefore, criminals will have shorter sentences this can be months or years, Usually, the sentence for committing a misdemeanor is less than a year. Jails are known for the smaller criminal acts and will cover a smaller area. 

Both prison and jails have a similar function and are closely similar, they can also be beneficial to their community. The major benefit of both is they keep criminals off the streets. Beneficially, they will both provide a living facility to criminals, which will keep the community safer. There will always be a place, either federally or locally, for criminals to live at and which are not terrorizing the community. Another benefit of confinement facilities is the concepts of prison and jails deter future crimes from happening. The idea of harsher punishments keeps individuals scared of committing a crime, therefore, prisons and jails are there in hopes of changing the minds of future criminals. Not only will it deter future criminals but the ones who have already been in prison or jail. Prisons and jails are made to be scary because it creates the idea of making people not wanting to spend the rest of their life inside. Whether it be federal prison or local jail, each will help benefit the community around it.

Prisons and jails are two different places, that hold different criminals for different crimes. Prisons are known to be more overall bigger than jails, based on jurisdiction, crimes committed, and the long period sentences. While jails are known to be smaller in the same fields. They both are made for different parts of the criminal justice system. However, they both have the same function and benefits for the community. So, depends on the crime an individual does, they will have to prepare for a different time. Overall, prisons and jails do their job and are an important part of the community but will hold inmates for different crimes.