@JLeslie . Jail is worse, for the reasons you said. It’s smaller, there are less, guards, less security, and they aren’t anything close to prisons, with close supervision, TV/recreation, and the money/resources, of a private company.
Cells are smaller, and held to far less standards. Violence between cell mates/fellow inmates is far greater. Guards are less qualified, paid less, and are basically passive aggressive, and encourage violence amongst the population. The inmates, are moved around a lot, and many are awaiting further punishment, or trial. They are also going through the first stages of incarceration.
Prisons, are/can be further from an inmate’s home. But they are better organized, and other inmates have “settled” in. Their condition of living is no picnic, but they are allowed jobs, pursuit of education, recreational privileges, and have better guards, and order.
Jails, are typically for short terms, people waiting for bond court, or people who couldn’t afford to bond out, so they are awaiting trial. Some inmates, are wanted in multiple other states, for far worse crimes, than what got them in jail currently. An inmate, could be in a cell, with someone arrested for possession, who is wanted for violent crimes, in other states. The uncertainty of everyone around them, and what may happen, adds to a lot of people acting unpredictably. Some who should (and will) be transferred to maximum security prisons, will spend hours/days, before the system gets straight, where they are going, and how long it will take for all the transferring to begin. Some, are unidentified, as they had no ID when arrested, so you might end up with say, a 20 year old 1st offender, sharing an overcrowded cell with multiple violent offenders, or illegal immigrants, whom nobody knows. It takes time, to figure out, who these people are, and what to do with them.
Then, there’s the system itself. Example. If you are arrested, on a Friday, you won’t even get a bond hearing, until late Monday, or Tuesday. Even if you were just arrested for driving with a suspended license you didn’t know was suspended, or are innocent all together.
There are surely some jails, better than others, but jail is usually worse. A college kid, arrested for public intoxication, may be spending days, with rapists, murderers, or people who are (for lack of a better phrase,) WAY worse people than them. Prisons have tears, for different offenders. Jails, rarely separate the mole hills, from the mountains. Also. Many inmates, are still under the influence of drugs, or in the state of mind that got them arrested. They’re a mix of people who committed small, or no crimes, and the worst of our nation’s criminals. Either way, most are in a state of agitation, and uncertainty. Leading to violent outbursts, and who knows what else. If an inmate gets attacked, by another, it may take a long time, for guards to get to them. It doesn’t take long, for a harder man, to seriously injure, or kill someone who is “lower on the food chain.” Some violent instances, will never be reported.
Those who can’t bond out, for monetary reasons, may wait months, before going to trial, and being found innocent. Even if they are to be found guilty, they are hit with the realization, that they won’t be at work the next day. They will likely be fired, lose their house/apartment. Lose their power, water, car, or whatever they are supposed to be making payments on. That first stage of that realization, leads even mostly normal people, in a state of hopelessness, and dispare. Which usually manifests itself in sudden outbursts of misdirected, angry behavior.
Jail, is a sort of limbo. Between freedom for some, or long-term confinement, or life in prison for others. The tension, is higher there, than in a prison. It’s a puddle of gas, with matches everywhere.
I don’t want to go into too much detail. But when I was much younger, I spent a couple days in jail. It was a minor crime. And I was eventually released. I got some luck with a lawyer, and currently have no criminal record. I actually became a law enforcement officer, a few years later. Having been on both sides, I hated the job, and gave it up, after almost a decade. Now, I’ve started a new career. But I’ll NEVER forget, the time I spent there.
The cell I was in, had feces, blood, and urine (not mine) spread all over the walls, feces in the only source of water. And the only vent (high in the cell,) was was clogged with urine soaked bath tissue. So every time the A/C turned on, it blew piss, and fowl oder. I complained to the guard, and he he simply shrugged. Then he ignored me, and after he left, the other guard was similarly unconcerned, if not happy. Keep in mind, I hadn’t even been to bond court yet. So, I wasn’t even convicted of anything. I had NO idea, that an American citizen, would have to go through what I went through. When they released me, they just threw more men, in the same cell. At one point, I spent 17 hours straight, in that cell, with no water, no phone call, and a cell mate, who was less than cordial. People in adjoining cells, were fighting, and beating the shit out of each other. The guards watched, and laughed. They moved me into several cells (I don’t know why,) and each cell, was about the same. I had a very difficult time, and had to get violent myself on occasion. To defend myself. I am a very big/strong man. I was big then too. I can’t imagine how much worse it would have been, if I were an average person. I talked to my lawyer, about conditions there. I wanted to sue the state, but he said that it was common, and not something worth pursuing.
I know people who have spent years in prison. They all agree. Jail, is far worse…