Not necessarily. If the offence is minor and you plead guilty, you may be sentenced to a penalty other than jail (for example a fine or community service) and released on the same day ( see “Sentencing: The judge’s decision about punishment” in this chapter). In other cases, the decision about whether you will be released or kept in custody is based on factors such as the likelihood that you will turn up for your next court appearance and the seriousness of the offence ( see “Bail” in this chapter). With more serious offences, once you plead guilty the rules change about whether you are released, and it can become much harder for you to be released.