Jail-Prison | Commonly Confused Words

Jail

/dʒeɪl/

A place where people are kept when they have been arrested or are waiting for trial and as punishment for crimes

Courts and jails!He wished he could have had Oliver jailed as a thief.If they capture her, they'll take her to the jail."

/ˈprɪzən/

A place where people are kept as punishment for a crime.

He ended his days in prison.I help to pay for the workhouses and prisons.I have to stay in this prison.'

Both prison and jail are places where individuals are kept after being convicted or while awaiting trial, but they are used differently based on the duration and severity of incarceration.
Jails are typically run by local governments such as cities or counties, and are used for short-term detainment or individuals awaiting trial.
Prisons are generally managed by state or federal governments and are designed for long-term confinement for those convicted of more serious crimes.
Jails often house inmates serving misdemeanors, while prisons house those convicted of felonies.
Think of jail as more temporary, and prison as long-term confinement for more serious crimes.