The Different Types of Prisons Explained

Published May 20, 2024

There are many types of prisons because the prison population vary significantly. Segregation is needed for optimum work and effective management of incarcerated individuals. 

Below, you’ll come to realize that there are many variations of correctional facilities. You’ll also came to conclude each of them are impactful and crucial in their unique ways. Let’s start. 

Prisons vs. Jails

Many people assume that prisons and jails mean the same thing. Yet, these two terms refer to two very different aspects of the criminal justice system. Understanding their difference is essential before discussing the various types of prisons. 

Jails are only used to detain inmates for a relatively short period. They are generally used when these detainees await their trial or sentencing. Some inmates who have committed a misdemeanor and been given a brief sentence of a year or less may also serve their time in jail. 

Prisons are long-term facilities built to hold inmates serving sentences of more than a year. They also house criminals who have committed more severe crimes, like felonies. 

Jails are operated by local governments, such as counties and cities, while prisons are managed by the state or federal government.

1. State Prisons

State prisons hold offenders who have committed state crimes. Examples of them are assault, arson, robbery, or homicide. 

These prisons operate under the jurisdiction of a state’s government. They vary in size, security levels, and the kinds of programs they offer to detainees. These levels range from minimum to maximum security. State prisons have different facilities catering to the inmate population’s specific needs and risk levels. State prisons have medium security for general population inmates and supermax for high-risk or dangerous inmates. 

2. Federal Prisons

Incarcerated individuals held in federal prisons have been charged with federal crimes. Such crimes include drug trafficking, tax fraud, identity theft, and child pornography, to name a few. There are 122 federal prisons throughout America, housing more than 151,000 inmates.

Many different factors are considered when deciding which prison an offender will be assigned to. These include their offense and criminal record, mental and physical health, and proximity to family. 

Different Types of Federal Prisons

1. Minimum Security

Also known as Federal Prison Camps, these prisons have the lowest level of security and are used to house nonviolent offenders with a relatively clean record. FPCs resemble college campuses more than prisons because they offer little to no perimeter fencing. Inmates are also housed in dorm-style units. 

Moreover, FPC typically offers work programs and classes to rehabilitate inmates. 

2. Low Security

Low-security facilities still have a robust orientation toward inmate work interventions. Yet, they also have perimeter fencing and a higher staff-to-inmate ratio than minimum security here. Some of these prisoners may have a history of violence. Yet, they must have less than 20 years left on their sentence to be held in a low-security facility. 

3. Medium Security

Medium-security federal correctional institutions are much more likely to house violent offenders. It is the security level that moves to cell-based housing. These prisons also have more rigorous treatment programs. Moreover, perimeter fencing often includes razor wire with electronic detection systems. 

4. High Security

High-security prisons are also acknowledged United States Penitentiaries (USPs). As the name suggests, they provide the highest level of security. Here, inmates are closely monitored by guards and cameras. These prisons are also surrounded by razor-wire fencing or walls and have watchtowers. 

5. Administrative

This is a particular class of prison. It encompasses other kinds of institutions crafted to hold inmates with special consideration. Examples are those chronically ill, extremely dangerous, or at high risk of escape. The administrative level includes ADX and the Administrative Maximum Security Penitentiary. ADX is the nation’s only “supermax prison.” It provides extreme security for the country’s most dangerous offenders. Here, detainees spend most of their time in their cells under 24-hour supervision. 

6. Private Correctional Institutions

In some instances, more prison capacity is needed than what the government can provide. In these cases, local, state, and federal governments partner with a private, for-profit firm to run a prison on their behalf. The BOP reports that an estimate of 11 percent of detainees are currently held in private correctional facilities. 

7. Juvenile Detention Centers

Juvenile detention centers are called “youth prisons ‘and are operated by states. They house and rehabilitate offenders under the age of 18. Inmates can be sanctioned to juvenile detention for a variety of reasons. It can include truancy, property crimes, drug-related offenses, and violence. Their primary goal is to educate and rehabilitate offenders to rejoin society.