Jails and prisons serve different purposes in the U.S. criminal justice system. Learn who they hold, how they operate, and what they have in common.

Key takeaways:

• Jails are generally local facilities used for short-term detention and are commonly operated by county or municipal authorities.
• Jails hold many people awaiting trial or other court proceedings, as well as some people serving shorter sentences.
• Prisons are generally state or federal facilities for people convicted of crimes and serving longer sentences.
• A sentence of about one year is a common shorthand for distinguishing jail from prison incarceration, but it is not a universal rule.

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