Explain the differences between the operations of a jail and that of a prison. The purpose of a jail is to hold local, state, and federal pre-trial defendants. Additionally, to incarcerate those be...

Explain the differences between the operations of a jail and that of a prison.

The purpose of a jail is to hold local, state, and federal pre-trial defendants. Additionally, to incarcerate those be sentenced for an offense with a sanction of less than one year. Typically, the sheriff’s department maintains the county jail, while local police maintain a separate municipal jail. State prisons are correctional institutions housing only convicted felons, facing more than a year of incarceration. Before incarceration in prison, an inmate undergoes an examination and assessment to determine his or her assignment to a specific facility. The inmate’s length of sentence, seriousness of offense, and past criminal record are weighed in determining which facility the inmate will be placed originally.

1. Name the three categories of jails.

2. Who is in charge of maintaining a county jail?

3. What happens during prisoner classification?

4. What factors affect prisoner classification?