Skip to main content
Workforce LibreTexts

5: Prisons and Jails

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
  • Page ID
    70573

    • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\dsum}{\displaystyle\sum\limits} \)

    \( \newcommand{\dint}{\displaystyle\int\limits} \)

    \( \newcommand{\dlim}{\displaystyle\lim\limits} \)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    ( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \(\newcommand{\longvect}{\overrightarrow}\)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    \(\newcommand{\ket}[1]{\left| #1 \right>}\)
    \(\newcommand{\bra}[1]{\left< #1 \right|}\)
    \(\newcommand{\braket}[2]{\left< #1 \vphantom{#2} \right| \left. #2 \vphantom{#1} \right>}\)
    \(\newcommand{\braopket}[3]{\left< #1 \vphantom{#2}\vphantom{#3} \right| #2 \vphantom{#1}\vphantom{#3} \left| #3 \vphantom{#1}\vphantom{#2} \right>}\)
    \(\newcommand{\qmvec}[1]{\mathbf{\vec{#1}}}\)
    \(\newcommand{\op}[1]{\hat{\mathbf{#1}}}\)
    \(\newcommand{\expect}[1]{\langle #1 \rangle}\)
    \(\newcommand{\dfn}[1]{\emph{\textbf{#1}}}\)

    \(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)
    clipboard_e1ec7306ce6888c71c117e5834e1ee3c1.png
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): CCWF - By California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation/Departamento de Correcciones y Rehabilitación de California - http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/visitors/imag.../CCWF_8x10.jpg,

    Once a person has been convicted of a crime, the sanction or punishment has to be imposed. Given that are founding fathers were settlers from Western Europe, it stands to reason that they would employ some of the sanctions that were in effect in their home countries. One of these was the Jail and/or prison. Both terms, jails and prisons are often used synonymously by the general public because they both house inmates however they have completely different responsibilities in the correctional landscape. The United States Bureau of Justice Statistics defines jail as a place of confinement before or after adjudication of a charge and is usually operated by local law-enforcement authority such as a sheriff, police chief or a county or city administrator. While a prison confines persons after they've been convicted of a criminal offense, usually a felony and are operated under the authority of a state Department of corrections or the Federal Bureau of Prison. (M. Ybarra 2025)

    The concept of a jail (Goal – old English spelling of jail) was carried over from Western Europe (England, etc.) when the United States was first forming. A small number of jails are privately operated. Regional jails include two or more jail jurisdictions with a formal agreement to operate a jail facility. Persons confined in a jail facility following a criminal conviction are usually sentenced to an incarceration sentence of 1 year or less.27

    Spawning from the County-level establishment and management of jails in England; these have largely been run by County Sheriffs in the United States, ever since we began to have them. They have had various names, depending on their function and use, such as Bridewells, and Workhouses. The first brick and mortar Jail opened right around 1790. It was the Walnut Street jail. This facility was later deemed a prison and it was the blueprint for prison construction in the future.

    As the United States began to populate, county lines began to be drawn up for States earning Statehood. Sheriffs began to police their Counties, and also be responsible for managing the lower-level infractions (misdemeanors) within their jurisdictions. Thus, County Jails began to flourish in the United States. Initially, many jails were nothing more than parts of a Sheriff’s office, literally, cells in the back room. Today, large structures (even multiple structures in a single county) constitute jails in the United States. Overall, we have seen changes in the growth of jails in the United States. While we were certainly growing in the number of jails as States gained Statehood, there has been a shift in jail structures. The vast majority of jails are small in size. There are few larger jails, but they hold more individuals. As can be seen in a report from Cahalan and Parsons (1986), and reports by Harrison and Beck of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2005), the number of jails has changed immensely. This is due to a variety of reasons, including the inclusion or exclusion of Youth Facilities, Native American Facilities, Privately Owned Facilities, and reporting structures (who report a jail in a given year). Based on these fluctuations, it is difficult to get an exact count of jails each year. However, there are roughly 3,300 jails in the United States today.28

    • 5.1: Jail
      This page highlights the essential functions of jails within the local criminal justice system, including booking, pretrial detention, and punishment for offenders. It addresses the complexities of serving diverse inmate populations, including those with mental health and substance abuse issues. Jails must navigate challenges related to public safety, rehabilitation, and governmental requirements, while also adapting to local policies and community attitudes.
    • 5.2: Prison
      This page details federal prisons that house inmates convicted of federal offenses, focusing on punishment and rehabilitation, with varying security levels. Inmate classification improves safety and rehabilitation. As of late 2022, federal prisons held 159,309 inmates, predominantly for drug offenses, with a demographic profile differing from state prisons. The text highlights the privatization of prisons and describes various prison designs impacting security, management, and inmate experiences.
    • 5.3: Terms and Critical Thinking Questions
      This page provides a detailed overview of corrections terminology, differentiating between jails and prisons, including their management and security levels. It explains the roles of jails for pretrial detention and prisons for convicted felons, as well as various prison designs that prioritize security. Additionally, it poses critical questions on the necessity of different facilities, the trade-off between education and incarceration investments, and the effects of evolving sentencing laws.

    27Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2023

    28Carter, David, 2019

    This page titled 5: Prisons and Jails was last modified on Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:16:56 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Myron H. Ybarra.