The general determining factor in whether a person gets sentenced to jail or to prison depends upon the offense they were convicted of. Misdemeanor crimes are those punishable by a year or less in jail. Felonies are punishable by more than a year in prison (this may vary slightly by jurisdiction). Prisons are generally run by the state or federal government and house inmates convicted of felonies. Jails are generally locally run and house individuals convicted of misdemeanors.
Is this a hard and fast rule?Can individuals charged with serious felonies ever be held in jails?If so, under what circumstances?For how long?