Jail can be used for post-conviction confinement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison#United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison#United_States > A jai

Jail can be used for post-conviction confinement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison#United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison#United_States > A jail holds people for shorter periods of time (for example, less than a year) or for pre-trial detention and is usually operated by a local government, typically the county sheriff. > A prison or penitentiary holds people for longer periods of time, such as many years, and is operated by a state or federal government. After a conviction, a sentenced person is sent to prison. Here's an example of it used that way in Virginia's laws, at https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter1/section18.2-11/ https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter1/secti... > The authorized punishments for conviction of a misdemeanor are: > (a) For Class 1 misdemeanors, confinement in jail for not more than twelve months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both.