Difference Between Montana Prison and Federal Prison

What is the Difference Between Federal Prison and Montana State Prison?

In Montana, individuals who violate the state law are incarcerated in state prisons. The Montana Department of Corrections manages the Montana prison system. On the other hand, persons convicted of federal crimes such as bank robbery, mail fraud, credit card fraud, kidnapping, identity theft, etc., are sent to federal prisons. The U.S. federal prisons are maintained by a federal law enforcement entity called the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). This federal agency is a division under the U.S Department of Justice.

A significant difference between federal prisons and Montana state prisons is the prison sentence length. The federal prison system does not permit parole; thus, federal incarceration sentences are usually lengthier than those served in state prisons. In addition, inmates in federal prisons are sometimes sent to serve out their sentences in other federal prisons. However, persons convicted under Montana's criminal laws serve out their punishments in their prisons.

Generally, inmates in state prisons are considered more dangerous than offenders in federal prisons. This is because state prisoners are convicted of murder, rape, or other violent crimes. In contrast, those in federal prisons are usually white-collar criminals and individuals convicted of political crimes.

The Montana Prison System

The state Department of Corrections is responsible for running the operations of the Montana state prison system, including Montana State Prison (MSP). The facility is located in the western region of Deer Lodge town at:

Montana State Prison (MSP)
400 Conley Lake Road
Deer Lodge, MO 59722
Fax: (406) 415-6622

The MSP is the largest penitentiary facility in the state. It houses about 1,600 male prisoners within a 68-acre compound. The facility is designed to hold the different custody levels: the minimum, medium, close, and maximum levels. The prison houses the majority of violent criminals in the state.

The correctional facility has three compounds:

• The locked housing
• The high side
• The low side

In this prison, inmates are placed under different supervisory conditions depending on their disability or their conviction. The facility also caters to prisoners with severe mental problems, hearing defects, and severe behavior management issues.

How to Lookup an Inmate in Montana

Persons interested in locating inmates in federal prisons can fill the empty fields of the BOP inmate locator. Requesters will be required to provide details such as the inmate's first/last name or inmate number.

To find an inmate in a Montana state prison, interested parties may visit the Montana Correctional Offender Network Search website. The requesting party will be required to enter the inmate's last name, first name, or the Department of Corrections ID number. However, requests for complete Montana inmate records may be made to the facility where the inmate is located.

Montana County Jails

Montana county jails serve as short-term penitentiary facilities for offenders awaiting trial. These jails/detention centers also house persons convicted of misdemeanor offenses. They also house inmates awaiting sentencing and unable to meet bail requirements. There are 37 jails spread over the 56 counties in Montana. In 2018, the Montana county jails recorded 202 average daily population for males and 71 for females. 1,800 Montana residents get locked up in county jail, and also, every year, 18,000 Montana residents (minimum) get booked into a local jail in the state.

In Montana, persons seeking information concerning an inmate in any county jail or detention center should contact the county jail where the inmate of interest is held. However, certain counties provide online inmate search portals, which interested parties can use to find information on an inmate. Requesters can also visit the appropriate county sheriff's office to obtain this information.

How Does the Federal Prison System Work?

Individuals convicted of violating federal criminal laws are held in federal prisons for offenses such as bank robbery, money laundering, tax fraud, identity theft, drug peddling, etc. The Bureau of Prisons is responsible for running the 22 prisons owned by the United States government. The BOP provides security and institutes rehabilitation, training, and transition programs for federal prisoners. Federal prisons across the country house about 152,174 prisoners. These prisoners are held under different security levels, depending on the manner of crime.

The U.S Bureau of Prisons also provides and encourages inmates in its facilities to engage in different programs. These programs include:

• Education Programs
• Work Programs
• Substance Abuse Treatment
• Religious Programs
• Medical Care
• Mental Health
• Sexual Abuse Prevention
• Reentry Programs

The federal prison facilities comprise five different levels of security. These institutions can be differentiated by their towers, staff-to-inmate ratio, detection tools, security barriers, housing type, etc. The following are the security levels of the federal prisons:

1. Minimum security (or Federal Prison Camp)
2. Low security
3. Medium security
4. High security (or United States Penitentiary)
5. Administrative facilities: Administrative facilities are designed for particular purposes such as treating prisoners suffering from medical illnesses, housing pretrial criminals, and more. The following are administrative facilities available in the federal prison system:

• Administrative Maximum Security Penitentiary
• Metropolitan Correctional Centers (MCC)
• Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP)
• Metropolitan Detention Centers (MDC)
• Federal Transfer Center (FTC)
• Federal Medical Centers (FMC)
• Federal Detention Centers (FDC)