The short answer is no, being arrested is not the same as being imprisoned. Imprisonment occurs only after you have been found guilty (or plead guilty).For state jail felonies, the law stipulates a minimum of 180 days in a state jail facility. The Intake Division of the District Attorney's Office investigates and reviews felony and misdemeanor cases (except juvenile and family violence cases) Prisoners are handcuffed as soon as practical after an arrest and before a search is made: 1. A magistrate judge determines whether there is probable cause for the charge against a suspect based on the information presented to them in this initial stage. It unfolds when an individual deliberately prevents another from leaving a particular space without their explicit consent. Convictions generally result in lighter penalties, such as imprisonment for less than one year, typically served in a local or county jail. The duties to arrest, definitions, requisites, issuance, scope, authority, and execution of arrest warrants are outlined in. Everyone's legal situation is different.