What is the difference between jail and prison?

Question

What is the difference between jail and prison?

Question #150530. Asked by Thesuperyoshi.
Last updated Jan 25 2024.
Originally posted Jan 25 2024 9:42 AM.

elburcher

Answer has 3 votes

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elburcher

24 year member
1533 replies avatar

Answer has 3 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.

Jails are for those awaiting trial or convicted of minor offences, while prisons are for those convicted of more serious crimes. Another difference would be Jails are local while prisons are on the state or federal level.

Jail and prison are often used interchangeably as places of confinement. If you want to be specific jail can be used to describe a place for those awaiting trial or held for minor crimes, whereas prison describes a place for criminals convicted of serious crimes.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/jail-vs-prison-difference

Response last updated by elburcher on Jan 25 2024.
Jan 25 2024, 1:31 PM

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Answer 1

Technically speaking none, although the answer might depend on which country to which you're referring.

Jails are

a place where criminals are kept to punish them for their crimes

.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/jail

Prisons are

a building where criminals are forced to live as a punishment

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/prison

According to Cambridge University the difference is a place or a building. Infer from that what you will.

What is the difference between jail and prison?

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