Wow. Both my boys in jail in the same year. I am sure you learned a lot from that particular disenfranchised section of humanity, as I did. I took note of the guys who said a kind word and helped my son know what to expect. The loss of freedom and dehumanization factor was huge.
My son has talked at length of his short jail experience. He had feared going to jail for years. In his schizophrenic mind, it's horrors loomed. When he did commit a public crime, his worst fears came true. "But you know mom, the police were good to me. And jail was not as bad as I thought. It was boring and I never want to go back there, but I'm not so scared any more." It may be hard for you guys to understand, but it is a very good thing when a schizophrenic can shed one of his fears. He is less likely to strike out in fear. He is far less likely to get himself in this sort of trouble again.
One impact of the "house" is that my son gave up the "mountain man" look. When he was jailed, he had a full beard and long, stringy hair. He was embarrassed by his actions and wanted desperately to clean up. It took him weeks to save up for a haircut, only to be told by the administration that he could not alter his appearance (the better to apprehend him, I guess, if he jumped the stockade). No hair elastics were to be bought either (who knows how an inmate might put such an object to misuse). A month in to his time, my son greeted me in the visitor's booth with his hair (FINALLY) neatly tied back. His solution? he picked off the top inch of one of his socks. Prison innovation.
Within a week of his release, he had himself a clean shave save a small soul patch, and trim hair. My boy looks good.