All jails look about the same, lots of concrete and metal. They are designed to hold people that have been convicted of committing a crime and have received less than one-year as a sentence by the judge. If they receive more than one-year, they are sent to a correctional facility operated by either the state or federal government.
Jails are also where people stay until they appear in court or have a bond hearing.
A bond is a promise to appear in court when ordered by the judge. The bond can be as little as giving their word or as much as several thousand dollars. Jails, unlike prisons, are temporary holding facilities. That s why jails, like the one in Williamson County, are very sparse. Our jail is inspected and approved by the State of Illinois on a regular basis.