You probably do not want to go to either jail or prison. These punitive facilities are intentionally designed to be unpleasant, to say the least. If you have already been arrested and charged with a crime, then you are probably familiar with jail. Prisons, on the other hand, are exclusively for those who have already been convicted of felonies. Your best bet is to do everything you can to avoid landing in prison, starting with finding an experienced criminal defense attorney.

What Are Jails Used For?

Jail is where arrestees are taken and held until they are able to bond out - if they are able to bond out. Generally, people are taken to local city jails, frequently attached to a police station, right after arrest. City jails are generally designed to hold arrestees for very short periods of time - usually, over the weekend until they can see a judge on Monday at most.

However, those who are unable to bond out may be sent to a county jail, which is larger and better equipped to keep inmates for somewhat longer periods of time. There are instances where people have sat in a county jail for years on end waiting to be tried. Quite a few jail inmates have yet to be convicted of any crime and are supposed to be presumed innocent.

Sex crimes are widely regarded as some of the worst. No other type of offense leaves you with the same kind of stigma or results in the same kind of potentially lifelong restrictions. Sex offenders are likely to struggle with the consequences of their convictions for the rest of their lives. Depending on the level of the offense, you may be subjected to embarrassing notification requirements or barred from living in certain places. The impact of being registered as a sex offender on your life can be intense.

If you are facing sex crime charges, the importance of finding an aggressive attorney and building the best possible defense cannot be understated. Prison time is just the beginning of the consequences should you be convicted.

5 Facts Sex Crime Defendants Should Be Aware Of

If you are facing felony sex crime charges, there is a lot at stake. Your entire future is in jeopardy. It is important that you know:

Being charged with a felony is scary. There is a lot more at stake in felony prosecutions - you could go to prison for more than a year, and the social repercussions of a felony conviction can be lifelong. Having a felony on your record can exclude you from educational and career opportunities, and even make it difficult to find housing. Some felonies are fortunately relatively rare, but others are much more common than you may realize.

If you are facing one of these felony charges, rest assured that you are not alone. Seeking out a well-qualified criminal defense attorney would be a wise move. In some cases, felony charges can be reduced to misdemeanors when the case is carefully handled.

Which Felonies Are Most Commonly Prosecuted in Texas?

While a misdemeanor record can certainly cause some problems, a felony conviction will have a serious impact on your life. Some people, after being arrested, are surprised to learn that they have been charged with a felony over what they believed was a relatively non-serious offense. Common felonies Texans are charged with include:

Most people would prefer to go their entire lives without ever being arrested or charged with a crime. Unfortunately, it can be strikingly easy to make one bad move and find yourself in legal trouble. Although misdemeanors are the less serious category of crimes in Texas, being charged with one can still have a substantial negative impact on your life. That said, if you find yourself facing one of these misdemeanor charges, you are not alone. Thousands are arrested and accused of crimes every day. Your response to the charge matters. Taking the case seriously and securing good legal representation can have an enormous impact on the ultimate outcome of your case.

What Are the Most Commonly Charged Misdemeanors in Texas?

No two criminal cases are ever alike, but some types of accusations are more common than others. Most Texans who get arrested for alleged misdemeanor crimes are accused of:

• Cannabis possession - While many other states have legalized high-THC cannabis products for medical or recreational use, they remain illegal in Texas. However, the drug remains ubiquitous and many Texas residents risk harsh punishment for using or possessing it.
• DWI - DWI arrests are extremely common, especially during the holiday season. This does not mean the charge is not serious - the penalties for DWI in Texas can include jail time and up to a two-year loss of driving privileges for a first offense.
• Family violence - Domestic disputes have been on the rise since the start of the pandemic. Arguments between family members, especially during long quarantines, can quickly spiral into physical confrontations that land someone in jail. Unfortunately, it can be challenging for police officers to figure out who the primary aggressor was, and they do quite frequently arrest the wrong person.
• Theft - Between minor shoplifting and petty theft, accusations of stealing lead to criminal charges for a lot of people.
• Disorderly conduct - Often viewed as a “catch-all” charge, any number of actions, innocent or not, could lead to this charge. Intoxication is not required to sustain a disorderly conduct conviction.
• Suspended license - Texas suspends people’s driver’s licenses for an enormous number of reasons, not all of which are related to a person’s driving record. If you know your license is suspended, do not drive. If you did not know that your license was suspended and found out because you got pulled over, you could still find yourself charged with a misdemeanor.

Although none of these crimes are nearly as serious as, say, running a large-scale meth operation, this does not mean that you can take them lightly. Misdemeanors can and do put Texans in jail every day. If you are facing a criminal charge, you must address it with care.

Murder and manslaughter are both very serious felony charges that can lead to extended prison sentences. Manslaughter, however, is seen as slightly less serious than outright murder. While both are considered forms of homicide, capital murder, murder, and manslaughter are three distinct offenses in Texas. Trying to determine which charge applies to a given series of events that resulted in a death can be difficult, as many elements of murder and manslaughter overlap. Much of the distinction comes down to the defendant’s intent and state of mind.

If you are facing any homicide charge, your freedom and future depend on a strong legal defense. Securing aggressive legal counsel should be your first priority.

What Does Murder Mean in Texas?

In Texas, murder generally applies to situations where the defendant has knowingly and willingly caused the death of another person. Murder charges can also apply if the defendant intended to cause the victim serious bodily harm, or was in the course of committing a different felony when he killed someone as a result. So, murder does not necessarily mean actually intending to kill - a defendant who intended only to seriously hurt someone may be liable for murder if the victim instead dies.