Wichita Bail Bonds Blog

No, day and night do not count as two separate days in jail. In Kansas and throughout the United States, one full 24-hour period, consisting of both day and night, counts as a single day of jail time. The way jail time is calculated depends on when you are booked, how your sentence is structured, and how your local jail credits time served.

How Jail Days Are Counted

Jail time is typically measured in 24-hour periods starting from the moment you are booked into custody. If you spend any part of a day in jail, that day may still count as one full day toward your sentence, depending on the facility’s policy and how the judge orders credit for time served.

• Example 1 – If you are booked on Monday morning and released on Tuesday evening, that counts as two days in custody.
• Example 2 – If you are booked late at night and released early the next morning, it usually counts as one day served, even if it’s only a few hours.

Credit for Time Served

When sentencing someone, Kansas courts usually give “credit for time served” for each day spent in jail before sentencing. This credit is subtracted from the total jail term imposed. Every jail uses a similar standard, one full day equals one day served, not two separate days for daytime and nighttime hours.

Exceptions & Partial Days

Some facilities count a partial day as a full day, especially for short sentences or weekend jail programs. For example, if you serve weekend time (reporting Friday night and leaving Sunday evening), each 24-hour period counts as one day toward your total sentence.

In jail, a day and night together count as one single day served. Time is calculated in 24-hour periods, and you receive one day of credit for each full day you spend in custody, not two.