Its the state that manages the state prison and the central government manages the federal prison. The ins and outs of both state and federal prison differ due to the body who runs them (state or central government).
When a person commits a crime against the ordinance, he/ she is arrested by the police, and a court trial takes place, after which the person is sent to prison.
Depending on the type of government, the prison is decided. There are several types of prisons. Several prisons are operated by several government bodies.
Depending on the crime that the criminal has committed, he/ she is sent to a correctional institution on the court trial as a form of retribution.
Prisons are categorized depending on several parameters. For instance, prisons are classified depending on the level of their security.
These prisons include minimum security prisons, medium-security prisons, high-security prisons etc. Other than that, there are several types of prisons. Two of which are 1. State prison and 2. Federal prison.
Key Takeaways
- State prisons house individuals convicted of state crimes, while federal prisons incarcerate those convicted of federal crimes.
- State prison systems operate under state jurisdiction, while the Federal Bureau of Prisons oversees federal prisons.
- State prisons often hold a wider variety of offenders, while federal prisons primarily house white-collar criminals, drug offenders, and those convicted of interstate crimes.
State vs Federal Prison
The difference between state and federal prisons is the government bodies that operate them. The state prison is operated by the state government. On the other hand, the federal prison is operated by the federal government. There are other differences between these two prisons as well.
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The prison that is under the jurisdiction of the state government is known as the state prison. People who commit crimes or the people who violate the state laws are incarcerated in the state prison.
The state authorities manage the state prisons. The quality of management of the state prisons is quite different from the quality of management of several other prisons.
The prison that is under the jurisdiction of the federal government is known as the federal prison. People who commit federal crimes or the people who violate or go against the federal laws are incarcerated in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons manages the federal prisons. Under the department of justice, the Federal Bureau of Prisons is a law enforcement agency that works efficiently to incarcerate prisoners.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | State Prison | Federal Prison |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning/ Definition | The prison that is under the jurisdiction of the state government is known as the state prison. | The prison that is under the jurisdiction of the federal government is known as the federal prison. |
| Jurisdiction | State government | Federal government |
| Procedure followed | The people who go against or violate the state laws are put in state prison. | The people who violate or go against the federal laws or the people who commit federal crimes are put in federal prison. |
| Security Level | Low | High |
| Number Of Inmates | High | Low |
What is State Prison?
The prison that is under the jurisdiction of the state government is known as the state prison. Depending on the crime that the criminal has committed, he/ she is sent to a correctional institution on the court trial as a form of retribution.
The quality of management, the number of inmates, and other factors are quite different of a state prison than that of a federal prison.
People who commit crimes or the people who violate the state laws are incarcerated in the state prison. The state authorities manage the state prisons.
The quality of management of the state prisons is quite different from the quality of management of several other prisons. The number of inmates is much higher in state prisons.
The state authorities manage the state prisons. The tax money that is produced by the state is used for the funding of the majority of the state prisons.
The quality of management of the state prisons is quite poor. This also affects the rehabilitation programs that are available for the inmates.
The security level of the state prisons is lower. Unlike federal prisons, state prisons do not transfer their inmates to other prisons.
The entire sentence of the inmate is served by them in the state where they are found guilty. However, the sentence of a prisoner can be either shorter or longer.
What is Federal Prison?
The prison that is under the jurisdiction of the federal government is known as the federal prison. Depending on the crime that the criminal has committed, he/ she is sent to a correctional institution on the court trial as a form of retribution.
The quality of management, the number of inmates and other factors are quite different of a federal prison than that of a state prison.
People who commit federal crimes or the people who violate or go against the federal laws are incarcerated in the federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons manages the federal prisons. Under the department of justice, the Federal Bureau of Prisons is a law enforcement agency that works efficiently to incarcerate prisoners.
The federal authorities manage the federal prisons. The funds to manage these prisons is acquired from the federal government.
The quality of management of the federal prisons is much better than that of the state prisons. Various facilities are provided for the inmates. Several services and training programs are also provided. Other facilities like food and drinks are also better.
The security level of the federal prisons is higher. Unlike the state prisons, the federal prisoners are transferred to other federal prisons.
The inmate gets to complete his/ her sentence in many prisons depending on the number of times that they are transferred.
The sentence of a prisoner is much longer in the federal prisons; also, the number of prisoners is much less than that of the state prison.
Main Differences Between State and Federal Prison
- The state prisons are under the jurisdiction of the state government. On the other hand, the federal prisons are using the jurisdiction of the federal government.
- The security level of the state prisons is much lower than the security level of the federal prisons.
- The number of inmates in the state prisons is much higher than that of the federal prisons.
- The colour of the uniform that is provided to the inmates in the state prisons is different for each state prison. On the other hand, all the federal prisons have the same colour of the uniform for the inmates.
- The state prisons are considered less safe. On the other hand, federal prisons are considered safer.
- The sentences of the inmates are either shorter or longer in the state prisons. On the other hand, the sentences of the inmates in federal prisons are longer.
- https://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/oilspill/20121007104426/http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/spe01.pdf
- https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/107834580200900308
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
