Putnam County Correctional Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Putnam County bail and bond: the Carmel jail, Legal Aid and how release works
People held after arrest in Putnam County go to the Putnam County Correctional Facility in Carmel, run by the Sheriff's Office. Use Putnam County Inmate Search to see whether your relative is in custody and what the judge decided on bail. The Sheriff's Office is at 845-225-4300. A judge sets bail at arraignment, and Putnam County Legal Aid covers arraignments at any hour.
Which jail holds people arrested in Putnam County?
The Putnam County Correctional Facility in Carmel, operated by the Sheriff's Office. A defendant who is not released at arraignment is held there. Open Putnam County Inmate Search and enter the name to see whether he is in custody and what the court did about bail.
The Sheriff's Office is at 3 County Center, Carmel, NY 10512, and answers at 845-225-4300.
How do I find a person who was arrested overnight?
Check Putnam County Inmate Search first, then ask the arresting police agency. The agency that made the arrest, such as the Town of Carmel Police at 845-628-1300 or the Sheriff's Office, can say where the person is kept before arraignment.
Is there a lawyer on call at night?
Putnam County Legal Aid Society, 12 Fair Street, Carmel, NY 10512, takes the county's public defense cases and covers arraignments at any hour, including evenings, weekends and holidays. Call 845-225-8466.
The office defends criminal cases from first appearance to the end, plus Family Court cases and violations of probation or parole.
What is the Pretrial Services Program?
It is a county program run through the Probation Department at 40 Gleneida Avenue, Carmel, NY 10512. The phone is 845-808-1111. It is the county's pretrial services office for people who are charged and waiting for court.
Ask your lawyer whether it can be part of a release plan. A judge who sets non-money conditions must choose the kind and degree of control needed to bring the person back.
Do the town courts meet at night?
Some do. The Carmel Justice Court, for example, hears misdemeanors from the Town of Carmel on Monday nights at 5:30 p.m. or Tuesday nights at 5 p.m. every other week.
Felonies go to Putnam County Court at 20 County Center, Carmel, NY 10512, reachable at 845-208-7800 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays except state holidays.
How do I post bail in Carmel?
Read the amount on Putnam County Inmate Search, then call the Sheriff's Office at 845-225-4300 and ask where payment is taken, what forms are accepted and when. Bring a photo ID and the person's full name and birth date.
If a family cannot raise the full sum, a licensed agent can write a bail bond. Do not send money to anyone except through the jail, the court or the agent you hired.
When can I visit while the case is pending?
The jail allows visits on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Each incarcerated person gets two hours per week, in 30-minute blocks. Visitors check in 15 minutes before the start, and no one is admitted to the room at 3:30 p.m.
There are no weekend or legal-holiday visits. When a holiday falls on a visiting day, that day's visits move to Wednesday of the same week.
How are bondsman fees figured on a $6,000 bond?
The most an agent can charge is $540. That is 10% of the first $3,000 ($300) plus 8% of the remaining $3,000 ($240). The cap is set by Insurance Law 6804, and charging more is a crime.
Questions about an agent's license or price go to the Department of Financial Services, 800-342-3736. The agent must give signed receipts and copies of the paperwork.
Can the judge accept a credit card or something other than cash?
Yes. Under CPL 520.10 there are nine forms, among them cash, an insurance company bail bond, three kinds of surety bonds, three kinds of appearance bonds and a credit card. The judge must order at least three, one of them an unsecured or partially secured surety bond.
The court may charge a reasonable administrative fee for a card. When the judge states only a figure, the person may post it as an unsecured bond.
What does the judge look at when bail is allowed?
The judge reviews the charge, the criminal record, any record as a youth offender, past flights from prosecution, orders of protection, firearm history, and whether the alleged crime did serious harm. The judge also looks at the person's finances and whether paying would cause undue hardship.
The reasons must be stated on the record or in writing.
Can he be freed without paying?
For many charges, yes. The judge must release him on his promise to return unless that will not reasonably assure he comes back, and then must use non-money conditions. His lawyer can also ask for nominal bail, which the judge must set if the request is voluntary.
Whether bail is ordered at all depends on the charge. The long list in CPL 510.10(4) covers violent felonies, class A felonies, crimes that caused a death and several others; for those the judge may also hold a felony defendant in the Sheriff's custody.
Are there special courts for drugs, veterans and family violence?
Yes. Legal Aid represents clients in Putnam's Integrated Domestic Violence Court, Judicial Diversion and Treatment Court, and Veterans' Court. A defense lawyer may ask for entry into one of these programs, and release terms can be tied to participation.
Where is a 16-year-old from Putnam County kept?
Serious charges against 16- and 17-year-olds go to the Youth Part of County Court. They may not be kept in a jail that also holds adults, and the police must tell a parent soon after the arrest.
Call the County Court at 845-208-7800 or Legal Aid at 845-225-8466 to learn where he is and when his hearing is.
What happens if he misses court?
The court forfeits the bail. A defendant who returns before the final adjournment with a good excuse may have it undone. If not, the District Attorney has 120 days to go after bond signers, and cash can be applied to the county's use after the later of the final adjournment or 45 days from notice.
A request to remit must be filed within one year.
When does the cash come back?
After the case ends, the court sends cash bail to the person who paid. A conviction costs 3% of it. Carry the receipt and your photo ID to the clerk. A bondsman's premium belongs to the agent, except that a full refund is due within 14 days if the person is never released.
Someone texted me a bail link. Is it real?
Treat it as a scam. The jail and the court never ask for gift cards, crypto or app transfers. Hang up and call the Sheriff's Office at 845-225-4300.
Putnam County bail contacts
- Jail
- Putnam County Correctional Facility, Carmel; Sheriff's Office, 3 County Center, Carmel, NY 10512; 845-225-4300
- Bond help
- Putnam County bail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Putnam County Inmate Search
- County Court
- 20 County Center, Carmel, NY 10512; 845-208-7800
- Public defense
- Putnam County Legal Aid Society, 12 Fair Street, Carmel, NY 10512; 845-225-8466
- Pretrial services
- 40 Gleneida Avenue, Carmel, NY 10512; 845-808-1111
- Bondsman complaints
- Department of Financial Services, 800-342-3736
Putnam County courts, programs and phone lines are separate offices, so the right call depends on your question. Write down the case number and the name of whoever helps you.
Putnam County Correctional Facility
Address:
3 County Center
Carmel, NY 10512
Phone:
845-225-5255
When is bail set in Putnam County New York?
Does Putnam County have bail?
Yes, but the state of New York only applies bail in violent or felony cases. Non-violent and most misdemeanor cases always qualify for release on own recognizance. Tioga County recognizes most types of bonds.
When is bail set in Putnam County New York?
Bail for lesser offenses is set at the time of booking. If bail is required for felony cases, it will be set by a judge at the first court hearing. This hearing, also called an arraignment, generally takes place on the next available court date excluding weekends and holidays.
How Does Bail Work in Putnam County?
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Putnam County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance.
The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee. A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane.
If a judge in Putnam County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.
Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court.
If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Putnam County Correctional Facility until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different. The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions. Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Putnam County or district directly and does not go through the defendant. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.
The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.
DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.
More courts are now trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
Payments to a bond company are not refundable. It is a long process to get back property title or money that was given to the clerk of court or bondsperson to secure the bond. This could put your loved ones into a difficult financial situation.
Another reason not to unnecessarily rush into securing a bond is that if the court notes that you came up with the money to pay a bond company, they may assume you have resources to pay a defense attorney and decline public defense.
On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
What are the different types of bonds in Putnam County?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid.
Similarly, the court (meaning a police or bail officer, clerk of court, bail magistrate or judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid.
Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:
You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail. The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted.
You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment. This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.
Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
You can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value.
A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).
Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.
There are multiple court fees involved to execute a property bond with the courts and a tedious process to get the property deed back. This is another type of surety bond if another person or a bond company is used to secure the bond.
You could also go to a local bank and take out a car loan offering property or anything of value for collateral. You may get someone to co-sign on the loan and offer their property. The ban charges fees, interest and could keep your property if you did not pay the loan back, or even on time.
A professional bondsperson makes money, at least 10% of the bond amount by providing you with a “loan” called a bond. The percent that they charge is fixed by the state and cannot be negotiated. The defendant or surety does not get that 10% or more back even if the terms of the bail are met.
With a property bond, the property deed would need to be signed over to the bondsperson and everyone on the deed would need to be involved.
Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety, they can send a bounty hunter to bring you to court if you flee. A bondsperson does not have to give you a bond if the defendant seems to be too much of a risk.
Ask the bondsperson to explain all the costs: percentage, fees or court fees. There is never a reason to rush through signing the paperwork with a bond company. Make sure that everything told to you is in writing and that you understand what you are signing. Ask questions, and if you feel rushed or don’t understand the contract with the bond company, you might want to call another one.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)
Does Putnam County have bail?
New York only applies bail in violent or felony cases. Non-violent and most misdemeanor cases qualify for release on own recognizance.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Putnam County?
Putnam County recognizes most types of bonds.
Who can set bail in Putnam County?
Bail is set by officers during booking for misdemeanor offenses. A judge sets bail for felony arrests.
When is bail set in New York?
Bail for lesser offenses is set at the time of booking. If bail is required for felony cases, it will be set by a judge at the first court hearing. This hearing, also called an arraignment, generally takes place on the next available court date excluding weekends and holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Putnam County New York?
Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.
In Putnam County New York, who can pay bail for me?
The person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of New York could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Putnam County New York?
Yes, New York does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Putnam County Correctional Facility for more information about the jails in Putnam County.
What options are there to pay bail in Putnam County New York?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Putnam County Correctional Facility for more information about posting bail in Putnam County.
Will I get all my bond money back in New York?
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount. If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back. Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Putnam County?
Most non-violent crimes do not require bail. If bail is assessed cash, or a minimum down payment, will be required.
A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in New York?
The Putnam County Correctional Facility or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.