Difference between federal and state prisons?

Question

Besides the obvious I mean? How do you end up in a federal prison instead of a state prison.

Answer 1

If you are in Federal prison, it generally means that you have a U.S. code case.  Meaning, that you have broken a law established by the federal government.  In those cases, it would be the U.S. vs. (fill in name).  In a state prison, you have broken a state law.  In that case, it would be MD (or whatever state) vs. (fill in name).  There are a few exceptions to this...in DC, there are no prisons, just the local jail.  So, offenders serving more than 12 months are generally sent into the federal system, Bureau of Prisons (www.bop.gov).  Also, some states receive money from the federal government to house federal inmates and vice versa.

Answer 2

pal, federal prisons are for federal crimes and state jails for state crimes. when me, my bro n my buddies were in jail, it was federal n it kind a sucked but not real bad.

Answer 3

I will try to explain this simply.  A federal prison is for individuals who violated a UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) or USC (United Code) criminal act, who appeared in a Federal Court and was sentenced to service of a sentence.  Each State has a Prison System.  I now reside in Nevada, but once worked closely with the Tennessee Prison System.  To be sentenced to a State Prison you must be convicted of a Felony in the state and sentenced by a court of Jurisdiction for felonies, i.e., a Circuit Judge or a Supreme Court Judge.

I suspect if your question is specific, you may be wanting to know how a drug dealer goes from a state arrest to Federal.  This is by way of a transfer of jursidiction.  Federal Laws are much more punitive in Drug trafficing than most state laws.  A local State Judicial Task Force Case may be presented to a Federal Prosecutor who may take it up.  What may surprise you is that the accused dealer may be prosecuted in both State and Federal Court, and receive sentences in both, for the same trafficing incident and not be in violation of double jeopardy.  Sorry the answer is so long, but it was hard to tell exactly what you were asking.

Answer 4

state prisons are for people arrested by state troopers or sheriffs but federal are for people arrested by fbi, dea, atf, etc... Also state prison guards have guns in armories and are only for emergencies but federal prisons have handguns carried round with them and have heavy duty weapons in the armory.No guns are allowed in the federal prisons from other people except guards.

Answer 5

A person goes to a federal prison if convicted of a federal crime, in a federal court. The Federal Crimes are listed in a set of books called the U.S. Code. Many crimes, like bank robbery, are both federal and state crimes, but it's almost always worse to have the feds after you. More jail time is given in the federal system as well.Generally, federal prisons are cleaner and safer than state prisons. But you will be there longer,and it will not be fun.

You will know if the Feds are looking to put you in prison if you are issued an "Indictment." That's a document that spells out what crimes the U.S. Attorney believes you have committed.

Answer 6

The crime commited