Howard R. Young Correctional Institution Inmate Bail & Bonds

Search the name on Howard R. Young Correctional Institution Inmate Search. It is the quickest way to see whether someone is in custody here. A person arrested in the last few hours may not appear yet, so look again later in the day.

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Yes. This is where most Delaware pretrial detainees are held. The Department of Correction says the prison processes about 60 percent of all admissions in the state. It also holds sentenced men. A 2024 state announcement described the population as split roughly evenly between pretrial and sentenced, at more than 1,100 a day.

So bail does matter here. A man held on a pending charge can be released if a court sets bail he can meet, or sets none at all. A man already serving a sentence cannot buy his way out.

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Bail goes to a court, not to a window at the prison. The state sources we read do not describe a bail desk inside the building. The person paying deals with the court that set the bail. After payment, the court sends its order and the prison releases the person.

Before you go anywhere, confirm the court and the amount on Howard R. Young Correctional Institution Inmate Search. If it does not show the figure, ask the defense lawyer.

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Justice of the Peace Court 11 is at 2 Penns Way, Suite 100A, in New Castle. The court says it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no holiday closings. Call 302-323-4450.

Justice of the Peace Court 20 is at 824 Market Street, Suite 210, Wilmington. It is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its number is 302-574-1500. Court of Common Pleas bonds go to that court's clerk's office, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Courts take cash, check, debit and Visa, MasterCard or Discover for bail. Cash-only bail means cash.

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Signature, also called own recognizance: the person signs a promise to return and pays nothing. Unsecured: nothing is paid now, but the person owes the full amount if he misses court. Secured: money or property must be posted first, often through a bondsman. Cash only: the whole amount, in cash, to the court.

A news report from August 2026 listed cash-only bail of $250,000 in a Wilmington shooting case. That is a serious-charge example, not a typical figure. We found no published Delaware bail schedule, so we give no price list.

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Delaware changed its bail law on February 1, 2026. Judges now start from a presumption of release with conditions, such as reporting or staying away from a person. Money bail is allowed only in exceptional circumstances, and the judge must say why conditions are not enough.

So a family may find that no payment is needed.

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The new law lists detention-eligible offenses. They include class A felonies, first-degree assault, kidnapping, first-degree robbery, stalking, and having a gun during a felony.

Being on the list does not mean automatic detention. The State must ask the court in writing, and a judge must find strong proof plus clear and convincing evidence that no conditions can keep people safe or ensure court dates. A capital charge can still be held without bail.

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Delaware's rule says an arrested person goes before the nearest available Justice of the Peace Court "without unreasonable delay." There is no fixed hour count in that rule. Many first hearings happen by video. At that hearing the judge sets bail and release terms for cases the court can hear.

If the charge is on the detention list, a magistrate can issue a temporary order for up to 10 days. A full hearing must follow within 10 days of arrest unless it is extended. A person who cannot afford a lawyer must have one appointed within 24 hours of arrest.

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A 2013 state law set limits. On a bond over $1,000, the total premium must be at least 5 percent and no more than 10 percent of the bond, with at least 5 percent collected before the bondsman posts. For cash bail, the charge must be 20 to 30 percent of the cash amount. The fee is not refundable. Confirm that the 2013 limits still apply before you sign.

Only licensed agents registered with the courts may post bail. The Administrative Office of the Courts handles that registration at 302-255-0087.

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Sometimes. Delaware's Justice of the Peace page says the judge will most likely require a title search when property is the security. In Superior Court, a bond is generally secured by a civil judgment or mortgage on the pledged property unless the court orders otherwise.

We did not find a rule on whether the land must lie in Delaware or in New Castle County. Ask the lawyer or the court clerk before you gather deeds.

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Ask the defense lawyer to file a motion to modify the bond. In Common Pleas the court sets a hearing and sends written notice. A statewide court rule requires a hearing no later than 10 days after such a motion. If a person stays locked up over 72 hours only because he cannot meet the money terms, the court must review the terms on its own within 10 days.

Free lawyers come from the Office of Defense Services. The trial unit is 302-577-5200, courthouse intake is 302-255-0130, and the unit for people held at this prison is 302-577-6445.

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Call 302-575-0330 to book, one week ahead, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Have the inmate's SBI number or birth date, and each visitor's details. Visits run seven days a week at 9, 10, 11 a.m. and 12, 1, 2 and 3 p.m., and last one hour. Arrive 15 minutes early.

Bring only car keys, ID and up to $5 in cash. Children under 18 need a guardian or adult. Visitors aged 14 to 18 need photo ID. A clothing violation cancels the visit for the day.

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A hold from another case, a probation violation or another jurisdiction can keep a person in. The state locator page says the department may keep someone past a release date if another jurisdiction wants him. Ask the lawyer to list every pending case and warrant before money changes hands.

We did not find a state page about immigration holds. Ask the defense lawyer about that before paying anything, and check Howard R. Young Correctional Institution Inmate Search for changes after payment.

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Not an adult prison. Youth under 18 who are held before a hearing go to a state juvenile detention center run by the Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services. The New Castle County Detention Center is at 1825 Faulkland Road, Wilmington, and its number is 302-633-3100. Ask that office first.

Juvenile records are private, so the adult search will not list a child.

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The judge can order the bond forfeited. Forfeited bail goes to the state's General Fund after a default finding. Get a lawyer involved the same day.

Cash bail is returned to the person who posted it after the trial ends, as the Common Pleas page describes, less anything the court orders. A bondsman's fee stays with the bondsman.

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No court or prison accepts gift cards, crypto or a payment app transfer to a private person. Look up numbers yourself: 302-323-4450 for the 24-hour court, and 302-575-0330 for the visit desk. Hang up on anyone demanding payment in minutes.

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