Prison and Jail
Jail and Prison
Kyle T Klusacek
March 11, 2013
Jail and Prison
During the last three decades, prisons and jails have become full to capacity because of an increase in drug laws and repeat offenders. Before prisons took control, early punishments were brutal and not humane. There are two different cultures when discussing jails and prisons. Jails can be seen as short term whereas prisons are long term. Crime has been an increasing factor in today’s society, prisons and jails hold the offenders accountable for their actions.
“America’s prison population has more than quadrupled since 1980, although the growth rate has recently been slowing.” (Schmalleger, 2011) There are three levels of a prison in the U.S. system today. Maximum, Medium, And minimum security are the levels in which offenders are held. Maximum security prisons hold the most violent criminals that can’t be held in minimum security because they will cause too many problems. The prisons are equipped with razor wire fences, towers with armed guards who are charged to shoot anyone who makes it over the wall. Medium security prisons are facilities secured by fences and holds inmates considered less dangerous to the community or inside the prison. Minimum security prisons are small fenced in areas, no outer perimeter fences, and no armed guards. Women have their own maximum, medium, and minimum security prisons. “Men 's and women 's prisons differ. Men 's prisons are bigger and more security-conscious; women 's prisons tend to have more fluidity in their prison population, since women tend to serve shorter sentences.” (Cliffsnotes, 2013)
Jail and prisons have major differences between the two. Jails are used by local jurisdictions such as cities and counties for short periods of time. They tend to have fewer amenities, hold a small amount of criminals. People who serve jail are either waiting trial, serve a short sentence or have not paid bail. Prisons have many amenities since the inmates may
Kyle T Klusacek
March 11, 2013
Jail and Prison
During the last three decades, prisons and jails have become full to capacity because of an increase in drug laws and repeat offenders. Before prisons took control, early punishments were brutal and not humane. There are two different cultures when discussing jails and prisons. Jails can be seen as short term whereas prisons are long term. Crime has been an increasing factor in today’s society, prisons and jails hold the offenders accountable for their actions.
“America’s prison population has more than quadrupled since 1980, although the growth rate has recently been slowing.” (Schmalleger, 2011) There are three levels of a prison in the U.S. system today. Maximum, Medium, And minimum security are the levels in which offenders are held. Maximum security prisons hold the most violent criminals that can’t be held in minimum security because they will cause too many problems. The prisons are equipped with razor wire fences, towers with armed guards who are charged to shoot anyone who makes it over the wall. Medium security prisons are facilities secured by fences and holds inmates considered less dangerous to the community or inside the prison. Minimum security prisons are small fenced in areas, no outer perimeter fences, and no armed guards. Women have their own maximum, medium, and minimum security prisons. “Men 's and women 's prisons differ. Men 's prisons are bigger and more security-conscious; women 's prisons tend to have more fluidity in their prison population, since women tend to serve shorter sentences.” (Cliffsnotes, 2013)
Jail and prisons have major differences between the two. Jails are used by local jurisdictions such as cities and counties for short periods of time. They tend to have fewer amenities, hold a small amount of criminals. People who serve jail are either waiting trial, serve a short sentence or have not paid bail. Prisons have many amenities since the inmates may
References: Schmallager, F. (2011). Criminal justice today: An introductory text for the 21st century (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson/Prentice Hall CliffsNotes.com. (March, 2013) Prisons Retrieved from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/topicArticleId-10065,articleId-10049.html. Smith, S.E. (2013) What is the difference between a jail and a prison Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-the-difference-between-a-jail-and-a-prison.htm