Airam G. Medrano-Carrillo
Mr. Robert Aberle
CRJ 104
November 16,2021
Chapter 11 Critical Thinking Question
Question: 3. Describe the differences between jail and a prison.
What is jail? According to the textbook The Administration of Justice: An
Introduction to the Criminal Justice System in America the author Robert Aberle states
“Jails are short term facilities where those who have been convicted of crimes serve a
sentence that is generally for a term of less than one year. Jails also hold a host of
other persons who have not yet been convicted of a crime.” In other words jail is a
place where people who committed or were convicted of crimes are placed in jail. Jails
are a place where criminals are placed for a short period of time, usually less than a
year sentence. What is a prison? According to the textbook The Administration of
Justice: An Introduction to the Criminal Justice System in America the author Robert
Aberle states “ Prisons are long term facilities that are run by the state or the federal
government. Prisons generally house those who have been convicted of felonies and
are serving sentences that are typically one year or longer in length.” Prison is where
the criminals convicted of a crime serve their sentence which are usually a year or
longer. In prison a criminal is most likely to plead guilty or was convicted to be guilty.
Some main differences between a jail and a prison is that there are fewer
convicts in jail because jail is reserved or houses criminals who have been sentenced
for a year or less than a year, whereas for prison it houses criminals who have been
sentenced for a year or more. Prison only houses criminals who have been fully
convicted whereas in jail is more likely to house suspects waiting on trial, convection,
or sentencing although prison can house suspects if there is an exception. Jail is
housed with criminals who have convicted misdemeanors either state or local and
local crimes committed in a city or county. Prison is housed with criminals who have
commited or have been found guilty of committing Piracy, Counterfeiting,Drug
Trafficking, etc…