MiSha Bagley
Introduction to Corrections/CJS 255
June 15, 2015
Sherri Webster
Jail and Prisons Comparison Paper
It is not uncommon that most people believe that jail and prison are one in the same. Jail is usually the first place a suspect is taking after being arrested and before they have been found guilty of a crime. Prison is the place where criminals are sent to carry out the sentence that was handed down to them by the jury and or judge. The purpose of this paper is to describe the differences and similarities of security levels in jails, state and federal prisons. Also a summary of the history of prisons, the factors that influenced growth in jails and prison and the role that jails play in corrections …show more content…
They both hold criminal offenders who have convicted a crime under state and federal laws. The state prisons usually house criminals who have committed “street crimes” such as murder, robbery, theft, assault and burglary. Previously federal prisons housed criminals who committed white collar crimes such as movement of criminal activity across state or national boundaries and crimes specific to the federal government (Seiter, 2014, “Adult Prison Systems in the United States”). According to Seiter (2014) crimes such as bank robbery, kidnaping, murder of public officials, drug distribution and certain crimes using a weapon are federal crimes. As a result there is now a less distinction between federal and state prison inmates than what was in the …show more content…
The basis of the imprisonment was used as a means to rehabilitate and was used as an alternative for punishment. The prison system today has changed for the better. Over the years several changes have taking place. During the 1880s through the 1950s the system operated based on the repentance model. Inmates were forced to read the bible to correct their behavior. During the 1960s through the 1980s the rehabilitation model was introduced and is still being used today. Several programs are available to inmates to help them be better citizens when they are released to keep them from becoming repeat offenders. During the 1990s through today the corrections model was introduced. It seems as if the corrections model works well for some but not so much for others. I often wonder if the criminal justice system still used the punishment models of earlier colonial times such as hanging, whipping and brandings would the repeat offender rate be as high as it is today. I believe that some offenders are no longer afraid to go to jail and or prison as they receive better treatment and have better living situations there than they do while