Lindsay Lohan, In and Out of Jail in 4 Hours

It was a clear case of blink and you miss it: Lindsay Lohan presented herself at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, CA, to start serving a 30-day sentence for parole violation, and was out in a little over 4 hours.

Though everything she does these days is surrounded by drama and documented by the ever-present paparazzi, Lindsay managed to fly under the radar as she surrendered herself to start the sentence she received last week for violating her parole.

She was sentenced to 30 days in jail and another 270 days under strict supervision, on parole. If she messes up again, she doesn't get credit for time served and will be sent to prison for 270 days.

Ever since she was read the sentence, it was to be expected that she wouldn't actually spend a month in prison – but few actually expected her to walk in and out of jail like that.

People magazine reports Lindsay's stay in jail was a little under 5 hours and she wasn't even put in general population.

“The actress was released early from an overcrowded jail Monday morning after serving just over four hours starting at 9 Sunday night, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department confirms,” the celebrity magazine writes.

“All I can tell you is that she was already released,” L.A. Sheriff's Deputy Tony Moore says for People, confirming that Lindsay had already been sprung out.

“A sheriff's spokesman previously explained that Lohan could be sprung early due to a federal mandate to ease the overpopulated jail. Nonviolent offenders are routinely sent home early after serving only a fraction of their sentences,” People adds.

However, even if she only served a fraction of her jail sentence, Lindsay had a terrible time and she's been complaining to friends about it, TMZ has learned.

The actress is reportedly telling friends that the 4.5 hours she spent in jail were the worst of her life and, at the same time, a wake up call that she must get her life back on track or suffer the consequences.

“Lindsay Lohan is telling friends her 4.5 hour stint in the pokey was 'scary' even though she was never placed with the general population,” TMZ writes.

She was locked up in her cell alone, and she described the place as very “cold,” which is why she's already promised herself to be on her best behavior so that she never has to go back there.