Jails and Prisons

A set of flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to jails and prisons, illustrating their similarities, differences, and types of security.

Incarcerate

To confine someone in a jail or prison.

Sheriff’s Office

The local law enforcement agency responsible for managing jails.

Department of Corrections

The agency responsible for overseeing the incarceration and rehabilitation of offenders in prisons.

Minimum Security Prison

A prison level for short-term offenders who have committed less serious crimes.

Medium Security Prison

A prison level for inmates typically sentenced to 5 to 20 years, focusing on less violent crimes.

Maximum Security Prison

A facility for long-term offenders, usually serving sentences of 20 years to life, often for violent crimes.

ADMAX

Federal maximum security prison located in Colorado, housing the most dangerous federal prisoners.

Differences Between Jails and Prisons

Jails are for short-term incarceration and run by sheriff's offices, while prisons hold offenders for longer sentences and are managed by the department of corrections.

Limited Access to Activities

Jails typically offer fewer activities and programs for offenders compared to prisons.

Military Style Bunks

The type of accommodation often found in prisons, reflecting a structured living environment.