[dragonwriter]

> Jail is for people accused of breaking rules, not convicted

While you make some good points, you are confusing “jail” with “pretrial detention”; while much (but not all) pre-trial detention is done in jails, that's not the only thing jails are used for; people do serve post-conviction sentences in jails, too.

[logfromblammo]

Misdemeanor convictions (i.e. less than a year of incarceration) may be served in a jail. Felony terms are served in prisons.

I am not very familiar with this, and it probably varies by state.

[dragonwriter]

> Misdemeanor convictions (i.e. less than a year of incarceration) may be served in a jail. Felony terms are served in prisons.

That's a common but not universal rule; California, for instance, sends felons whose crime is not a violent or serious felony, or one that requires sex offender registration, to county jails.