The Different Types of Prisons Explained

Published Oct 10, 2021

Crimes and criminals come in varying degrees. Some crimes are more serious and some criminals are more dangerous. Other crimes deserve harsher punishment while some criminals need more psychiatric interventions. This is why we have different types of prisons.

According to prisonpolicy.org, there are more than 7,100 prisons in America consisting of:

• 1,833 state prisons

• 110 federal prisons

• 1,772 juvenile correctional facilities

• 3,134 local jails

• 218 immigration detention facilities

• 80 Indian county jails

Apart from the above, the country also has military prisons, psychiatric hospitals, and civil commitment centers. All of which holds a combined 2.12 million people.

Though the movies usually depict prisons as scary places full of dangerous criminals, it’s not always the case. Prison conditions can vary all throughout the country depending on its security level, inmate demographics, and many other factors.

To give you an idea of prison life in the US, here’s a quick guide on the different types of prisons in the country.

Jail vs. Prison

To better understand the country’s criminal justice system, we need to clear up the difference between a jail and a prison first.

The terms “jail” and “prison” are often used interchangeably when referring to criminal detention facilities. But what many don’t realize is that they refer to two different types of facilities.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), jails hold inmates for only a short period of time. This includes people who are still awaiting trial and those with sentences of not more than one year. They are usually under the jurisdiction of a sheriff, police chief, or county/city administrator.

Prisons, on the other hand, hold inmates for a long time. This usually includes felons and persons with more than a year remaining in their sentence. Prisons are owned either by the state or the federal government. Though some prisons are operated by private companies contracted by the state.

Federal Prisons vs State Prisons 

As their name suggests, federal prisons are owned by the federal government while state prisons are owned by the state. As such, they tend to have different policies and regulations. 

Obviously, people who committed federal crimes are detained in federal prisons. This includes white collar crimes, kidnapping, terrorism, and hate crimes among others. While those who broke state law are kept in state prisons. Some violent crimes, though punishable by federal laws, may also be tried at the state level.

Since most federal crimes have longer sentences and no parole, federal inmates tend to spend more time in prison than state prisoners.

Federal prisons also generally have better security than state prisons. Plus, they’re often less populated than state prisons as federal crimes are less common than state-level offenses.

Types of Prisons Based on Security Level

As each inmate poses different levels of security risks, prisons are classified based on their security levels. These are:

1. Minimum Security

Typically reserved for white collar criminals, a minimum security facility look more like a dorm than an actual prison. Inmates held in these facilities are considered non-violent and have very low flight risk. As such, most of them don’t even have fences, and some inmates are even assigned to work in community-based projects.

2. Low Security

According to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), low-security federal facilities have doubled-fenced perimeters. Like minimum security prisons, they also feature dorm-type or cubicle housing. Though, they have a slightly higher staff-to-inmate ratio.

3. Medium Security

In addition to double perimeter fences, medium-security prisons also have electronic detection systems. They usually hold offenders with prison sentences of more than 30 years and extensive criminal histories. These inmates are housed in individual metal cells with a metal toilet, metal bunk beds, and metal sink. 

4. Maximum Security

Maximum security prisons are typically reserved for offenders with violent tendencies and death row inmates. As such, they have advanced security features like reinforced fences and a centralized lock system. Prisoners are housed in individual cells and are only allowed out one hour a day. 

5. Supermax Prison

As the name suggests, supermax prisons are the most secure among all types of prisons. They are designed to hold offenders that can’t be housed in lower-security prisons. This includes:

• high-profile criminals

• terrorists

• inmates with a history of violent behaviors in other prisons

• inmates that pose a serious threat to national security

Inmates in supermax prisons spend their days in what is essentially solitary confinement. They are housed in a 7×12 feet concrete cell and are only allowed out a few hours a week. And every time they go out of their cells, they have to wear leg irons and are escorted by multiple prison staff.

As of this writing, only one federal prison is classified as supermax: the ADX Florence in Florence, Colorado. Several states have also constructed their own supermax prisons either within a prison or as standalone facilities.