Kent County Correctional Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds

Kent County Correctional Facility

Address:
703 Ball Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Phone:

616-632-6300

How do Bail Bonds work at Kent County Correctional Facility

To post a bond call 616-632-6301 or visit the accounting window, open 24 hours daily, located in the Kent County Correctional Facility lobby adjacent to the visitor entrance.
703 Ball Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503


You can also obtain information about an arrestee's charge(s) and bond amount online, however confirm the amount as there may be other fees involved.
If you can't afford to pay the bond in cash, you can always find a local bail bondsman to cover the bail for you.


 

Who do I call to find out the Bond for an Inmate?

Please call the jail at 616-632-6300 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at Kent County Correctional Facility.
A bond is set according to a court-approved schedule.
The purpose of the bond is to assure the offender's appearance in court.

Instructions on how to post Bail or Bond in Kent County

Because Kent County and Michigan can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Kent County Correctional Facility at 616-632-6300, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, right after an arrestee has been booked. 

Ask the staff at the Kent County Correctional Facility or the Kent County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released. 

This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.

Option 1 - How to Post Bail using Cash for a Defendant at Kent County Correctional Facility

The first option, a cash bond, is to pay the full bail amount in cash, cashier's check, or money order. Personal Checks are not accepted.

Depending on the crime, this amount could be anywhere from $100 to $75,000 or more.

To pay a cash bond, go to Kent County Correctional Facility or to the court where the bail hearing occurred. Going directly to the jail will quicken the release of the defendant as any bail paperwork processed at the court will have to be transferred to the jail.

Cashier's Checks and Money Orders may be made out to Kent County Correctional Facility where the defendant is being held, but usually to the Kent County Sheriff's Office or to the Kent County Court.

To purchase money orders visit any Western Union, Moneygram or Post Office.

Option 2 - How to Post a Private or Surety Bond for a Defendant at Kent County Correctional Facility

In the event that someone does not have the full bond amount available to him or her, there is what is called a private bond or surety bond.

This is an agreement made with a bail agent or bondsman who will post the full bail amount. In return, the defendant and/or cosigner will pay a premium to the bail agent. This premium will be 10-15% of the full bail amount.



For example, if bail is posted at $5,000, then the premium will cost approximately $500-$750.

A bail agent will often require some form of collateral, for example, a lien on a house, a car or jewelry. This is to ensure that if the defendant skips bail, or does not appear in court, the bail agent has some sort of compensation for the full bail amount being paid.

Remember, by making an agreement with a bail agent the signatory takes responsibility for paying the full bail amount if the defendant does not appear in court.

Option 3 - How to Post a Property Bond for a Defendant at Kent County Correctional Facility

If you are a landowner in Kent County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within Kent County may be used as collateral to bail someone out. All owners of the property must be present to sign the bond in order for this to happen.

To find if property located outside of Kent County can be used as collateral, call a local bail or bond agent or contact a defense lawyer.

Click here for additional information on how to post bail at Kent County Correctional Facility.

Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Kent County Correctional Facility?

Anyone over the age of 18 who can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can post bail. Accepted forms of ID include a Photo Driver's License, Passport, or Motor Vehicle issued ID.

In many circumstances, if the defendant has the resources, they can post their own cash bail from jail.

Surety Bonds are arranged by a third party, typically a Michigan state licensed Bail Bond firm.

Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.

Kent County Justice System Flowchart

When will the Cash Bail or Collateral be returned to me?

Money or collateral will not be returned until the defendant's court case is finished, so realistically it could take several months to years, depending on the severity of the charges. If a defendant posts his or her own bail, Kent County Court may retain whatever amount of fines or fees have accumulated throughout the trial.

What happens to my Bail or Collateral if the Defendant misses Court?

The Kent County Judge may order a failure to appear warrant for the person's arrest or the Judge may order a Bail Commissioner's Letter be issued that will be sent to the person with a new court date.

If cash bail was paid, the entire amount may be forfeited.

How Inmates Can Use a Tablet to Access Services at Kent County Correctional Facility

To find out how to get access to a tablet for inmate read the following:

1.  First, Register or Sign In to GettingOut/GTL

2.  Purchase the services you want for your Kent County Correctional Facility inmate.
3. All inmates have free access to the tablets to read their letters from family & friends, but there are many other services available to keep your inmate busy while incarcerated... such as Games, Books, Music and Movies. These other services come with fees that you can pay for when you pay for phone service.

To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our Tablet Rental Page.


 

How to Communicate with an Kent County Correctional Facility Inmate by Mail and by Email

To mail or email an inmate in Kent County follow these steps:

When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please follow these instructions:

  • All mail sent to an inmate at the Kent County Correctional Facility must include the sender's name and mailing address in the top left corner of the envelope or postcard.
  • All mail must include the facility's address, as well as the inmate's name and assigned number.
  • Failure to include your return address will most likely result in your mail NOT being delivered and your letter destroyed.
  • The Kent County Correctional Facility has a zero-tolerance policy regarding mail violations. 
  • All the information you need to understand mail and email policies can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.

Emailing Messages & Photos

Facility_name_1} contracts with GTL GettingOut, the same service that handles iInmate Phone Systems and Video Visitation, for sending secure messages and photos between you and your inmate.
 
If you are not already registered, do so here, or Log in.

Then use the Facility Finder to:
1.  Select Kent County Correctional Facility,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.

  • Messages can be up to 500 characters long, including punctuation. At the bottom of your message there is a 'character countdown' feature.  
  • After you click the “CONTINUE” button, you can review the cost to send your message to your inmate. You can also attach credits for your inmate to reply to your message.  Be sure to accept the Terms and Conditions and click the “SEND” button for your message to be successfully delivered to your inmate.
  • You can also send your Kent County inmate photos and videos.

Customer Service Questions
'Online' Contact Form, or
Call   866-516-0115

Go here to this FAQ to get answers to how the transition to ViaPath from GTL and gettingout will affect your account.

All the information you need to understand mail and email policies for Kent County can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in Kent County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Kent County Correctional Facility follow these steps:

  • Select Michigan, then select Kent County Correctional Facility, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for Kent County.
  • Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in Kent County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Kent County Correctional Facility check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Kent County.


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Kent County

To send commissary money to an inmate in Kent County Correctional Facility follow these steps:

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Michigan, then select Kent County Correctional Facility, and then the inmate you want to send money to.
  • Choose the amount of money you want to send, and input your payment method.

For all information on how to Send Money to an inmate's account check out our full money and commissary guide for Kent County Correctional Facility.


 

How Do Inmates in Kent County Correctional Facility Make Phone Calls?

To receive phone calls from inmates in Kent County, or to assist them in making phone calls to other people, follow these steps:

  • Kent County Correctional Facility uses the services of IC Solutions.
  • Register with them online or call them at 888-506-8407
  • Agents are available 24 hours a day, and speak both English & Spanish.
  • Services for Kent County inmates and their families and friends include Collect Calling, PIN Debits, Purchasing Calling Cards, Voicemail & Prepaid calls.  In addition, IC Solutions provides secure messaging, sending photos, video phone calls and online deposits for inmates and their families in Kent County.
  • Although rates are subject to change, they generally run about $0.21 per minute for phone calls.

Note: All your calls with an inmate are recorded, stored and shared with law enforcement if the conversation deals with your case or any criminal activity. Anything communicated can be used against you or your inmate in court.

For all the information regarding phone calls with Kent County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.


 

How to visit an inmate in Kent County Michigan using Video Visitation or visiting an inmate at the jail

To visit an inmate in Kent County follow these steps:

  • In addition to visiting inmates at the jail, Kent County Correctional Facility uses a video visitation service called IC Solutions.
  • In order to visit with your inmate online or at the Kent County Jail Video Kiosk, you must first register with IC Solutions.
  • Once you are logged into your existing IC Solutions account or have created a new account and are logged in, you must select Register for Video and enter Kent County Correctional Facility.
  • Then select your Kent County Inmate.
  • Then fund your account using either a Visa, Mastercard credit or debit card.
  • Lastly, schedule a visit.
  • The cost for a remote video visit ranges from $7-10 for 20-25 minute visit. Rates are subject to change.

For full instructions on all the benefits of using IC Solutions to visit a Kent County inmate, visiting an inmate at the jail itself, rates, policies, rules, dress codes, bringing children, attorney and clergy visits and more, go to our official Visit Inmate Page. 


 

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