In Weld County, criminal defense attorneys or lawyers may speak about prison or jail for clients who are accused of misdemeanor or felony crimes in Evans, Greeley, or Erie. Jail and prison are two terms used by district attorneys that defendants may see as identical in the criminal justice system. The two couldn’t be more different and it is important to be aware of the differences between them.
The Weld County Jail - Temporary Placement after an Arrest
The Weld County Jail is used after an arrest is made by the Greeley Police or Weld County Sheriff. The arrestee is held in jail after arrest until the bail bond is set by a Weld County judge. If they are able to pay the bail bond amount, the inmate may leave the jail until their court date. The bail bond is a guarantee that they will make an appearance at all court dates. If the arrestee cannot post bail, he or she will have to remain in the Weld County Jail until a plea disposition is reached or the case goes to trail and the jury reaches a verdict.
A Sentence to the Weld County Jail
After a conviction occurs or a guilty plea is entered, the defendant will be sentenced and could possibly face incarceration. If a defendant is sentenced to jail time, it is because they committed a misdemeanor crime such as certain cases of Third Degree Trespassing (C.R.S. 18-4-504), Public Indecency (C.R.S. 18-7-301), or Shoplifting (C.R.S. 18-4-401) or a crime in which the maximum sentence is less than two years. Every county in Colorado has a county jail that is run by the sheriff’s office. The Weld County Jail offers a variety of programs for inmates who are sentenced there. Work release, rehabilitation, and victim reparation are services that are run from the Weld County Jail and overseen by the sheriff and sheriff’s deputies.
A Sentence to Prison
Prison for Weld County offenders is run by the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC). The DOC oversees twenty-four prisons, also called correctional facilities or centers, across Colorado. Prison is reserved for individuals who pled guilty or were convicted of a felony crime where prison time was required. Felony crimes in Weld County include First Degree Arson (C.R.S. 18-4-102), Second Degree Assault (C.R.S. 18-3-202), or Sexual Assault (C.R.S. 18-3-402). Prisons are designed to hold inmates for long periods of time, often life sentences. They include programs to rehabilitate, therapy, and ways for the inmate to keep their life skills honed so they will be ready to rejoin society after their time is served.