A prison sentence is a term of confinement in a penal institution, such as a jail or prison, imposed by a court on a convicted criminal. In many countries, the court may choose to use an alternative to incarceration such as counseling or community service.
The term of imprisonment can be a specified length of time, or it can be “life.” The latter means that the offender will be imprisoned for the rest of their life and cannot be released except through pardon or a terminal illness.
In addition to time served, a judge may also order probation or other types of supervised release for the offender. These arrangements can help the offender rehabilitate, keeping them out of jail and reducing the likelihood that they will commit new crimes in the future.
Jails are typically local facilities under the jurisdiction of a city, county, sheriff or other government agency. They are often used as short-term holding facilities for those who have been arrested and who have not been able to make bail while they wait for their trial or sentencing.
If a jail sentence is given, it is important to make sure that the time calculation was done correctly. A person who believes their sentence has not been worked out correctly should speak to a member of staff at the jail and ask for it to be reworked. This can be done free of charge. If the issue is not resolved, they can appeal to the district or state court.