What is the difference between being arrested and being charged?

Answer 1

Arresting is the physical act of taking someone into custody. It is normally performed by police officers. Charging is the act of proceeding in court with a prosecution against someone for committing a crime. It is normally performed by prosecutors. A person who has not been charged can be arrested. The police then bring information to the prosecutors, who then decide whether to charge. If the prosecutor declines to charge, the police normally must let the person go. A person who has not been arrested can be charged. The prosecutors can write up and present the charges, and have a judge issue a warrant for the arrest of the suspect. Sometimes years can go by before the charged person is located and arrested. Normally, the police can arrest someone if there is a judge-issued arrest warrant against the person, or if the police have probable cause to believe the person has committed a crime. In some states the police cannot arrest for certain misdemeanors without a warrant, or without personally witnessing the crime. Normally, the prosecutor must have probable cause to believe the person committed a crime in order to charge them. In some jurisdictions, the prosecutor's decision must be confirmed by a grand jury or the charge is dismissed. Elsewhere, the defendant may have the right to have a judge decide on whether there is probable cause.

Answer 2

An arrest is the actual act of being taken into custody by a law enforcement officer. A "booking" is where the arrestee's personal information and the offense information (including the name of the arresting officer), are recorded in the official agency "arrest log."

Answer 3

If you are/were arrested, then you don't actually go to jail yet

if you were/are booked into jail, you will serve your sentence in prison and it will appear on your criminal record