Glossary
What is County Jail?
A local lockup run by a city or county that mostly holds people awaiting trial and people serving short sentences.
A jail is a local facility run by a city or county, often under a sheriff. Most people in jail have not been convicted and are waiting for trial. Others are serving short sentences, generally under a year for misdemeanors.
People move through jails quickly. The Prison Policy Initiative counted more than 7 million jail admissions in 2022, compared with about 469,000 prison admissions.
Because jail stays can be short and unpredictable, rules for deposits, commissary and visits often differ from prisons. Check with the jail.
Read more
- Jail Commissary vs. Prison Commissary: What Families Should Know
- How to Send Money to Someone in Jail