Difference Between Kentucky Prison and Federal Prison
What is the Difference Between Federal Prison and Kentucky State Prison?
Persons who violate state criminal laws are held in the Kentucky state prisons, while those convicted of federal offenses are incarcerated in federal prisons. Crimes that can result in a federal prison sentence include money laundering, racketeering, fraud, child pornography, computer crimes, identity theft, etc. State prisoners are guilty of violent crimes committed within the state's jurisdiction, such as robbery, gun-related crimes, assault, murder, and rape. When comparing the security levels of both prisons, federal prisons offer a greater degree of protection than state prisons, even though more prisoners are held in state prisons than in federal prisons.
Federal prisons are managed by the Bureau of Prisons, a law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice, whereas the Department of Corrections of Kentucky maintains state prisons. A significant distinction between the state and the federal prison is the length of a prison sentence served in the respective facilities. Parole is restricted in federal prisons; thus, the amount of time served is much higher than that spent in state prisons.
The Kentucky Prison System
The agency responsible for the day-to-day running of the Kentucky prison system is the Kentucky Department of Corrections. Kentucky's per capita prison incarceration rate (PCIR) is the highest among other U.S. states. Kentucky has 12 state prisons and 84 county jails. Only 2 of the 12 state prisons are women facilities; the Western Kentucky correctional facility was formerly a women facility before it was converted to a male and female facility. The estimated rate of incarceration in Kentucky is 895 per 100,000 people. There are over 18,000 inmates within the state's prison system. The Kentucky State Reformatory is the largest state prison with a capacity of 2005 inmates, and it is also the oldest. According to the Kentucky monthly report for December 2020, 36% of arrested inmates are between 31 and 40. According to this report, 89% of prisoners in Kentucky are males, while only 11% are women.
How to Lookup Inmates in Kentucky
To locate a prisoner in Kentucky, interested persons may use the federal inmate locator to search federal prisons or the Kentucky online offender lookup (KOOL) for Kentucky prisons. Requestors will be required to provide relevant information regarding the inmate to facilitate the search. Alternatively, an individual can obtain inmate information or Kentucky inmate records by sending an e-mail or going to the Department of Corrections:
Kentucky Department of Corrections
Health Services Building
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40602-2400
Phone: (502) 564-4726
Fax: (502) 564-5037
Kentucky County Jails
In Kentucky, county jails are short-term detention institutions where offenders awaiting trial are housed. County jails are also reserved for minor criminals or offenders who have failed to meet bond terms. There are 84 jails out of 120 counties, holding about 13,000 inmates. Kentucky jails hold roughly 89,000 inmates at different times in the year. Jails in Kentucky are classified as full-service jails (73), regional jails (4), and life safety jails (3). There are also 40 closed jails in Kentucky.
Kentucky is the only U.S. state to elect jailers. Prisoners employ lobbyists and are the primary power players. The jailers have a vested interest in holding prisoners for the state and federal authorities paying rent for each prisoner. 11 jails in Kentucky have a bed capacity of over 400.
The second-largest jail in Kentucky is the Louisville Metro Jail, with 1791 bed spaces available. The total bed space of the Kentucky county jails is 21,295. Most of the jails currently in Kentucky are overcrowded. Eight county jails are operating at above 150%; another 11 are at 120% capacity in all, about 39 jails are overcrowded in Kentucky.
How Does the Federal Prison System Work?
People incarcerated in federal prisons are those found guilty of violating federal laws, including money laundering, child pornography, selling illegal drugs, political crimes, e.t.c.
The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is the federal agency responsible for the smooth running of the 122 prisons in the country. The BOP conducts correction, rehabilitation, and transition programs for inmates in federal prisons across the United States. Roughly 151,000 prisoners are incarcerated in federal prisons.
There are five different security levels in federal prisons distinguished by the type, structure of the building, and the security monitoring device available. Prisoners with a history of violence are housed in high (or maximum) security prisons, while inmates with no record of violence are kept in low-security prisons. The medium-security prison is used for domestic offenders, while prisoners with a clean record are sent to the minimum prison. Inmates with special needs are kept in administrative facilities.
