Jail vs Prison
Jail
Local short-term detention facility operated by county or city, holding ~750,000 people daily in the US
Pre-trial detention, misdemeanor sentences under 1 year, and DUI/DWI offenders
VS
Prison
State or federal long-term correctional facility housing ~1.2 million convicted felons in the US
Convicted felons serving sentences over 1 year, including violent offenders and federal crime convictions
Short Answer
Jails are locally operated short-term holding facilities run by counties or cities for people awaiting trial or serving sentences under one year. Prisons are long-term state or federal facilities for convicted felons serving sentences typically over one year.
Our Verdict
Jails are short-term, local, and house a mix of pre-trial detainees and misdemeanor offenders. Prisons are long-term, state/federal, and house convicted felons. The distinction matters legally — being 'in jail' vs 'in prison' implies very different circumstances.
Choose Jail if
Pre-trial detention, misdemeanor sentences under 1 year, and DUI/DWI offenders
Choose Prison if
Convicted felons serving sentences over 1 year, including violent offenders and federal crime convictions
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Key Differences at a Glance
🔹
Operated By: County/city government vs State or federal government
🔹
Typical Sentence: Under 1 year vs Over 1 year
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Population (US): ~750,000 daily vs ~1.2 million
Key Facts & Figures
| Metric | Jail | Prison | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Daily Population | ~750,000 | ~1,200,000 | -38% |
| Number of Facilities (US) | ~3,100 jails | ~1,566 state + 122 federal | +84% |
All figures sourced from publicly available data. Last updated May 2026.
Key Differences
Jail
Attribute
Prison
County/city government
Operated By
State or federal government
Under 1 year
Typical Sentence
Over 1 year
~750,000 daily
Population (US)
~1.2 million
Yes (majority)
Pre-trial Detainees
No (convicted only)
Limited
Rehab Programs
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Last updated: March 15, 2026Human reviewed
