When a person has been arrested and must wait in the county jail until loved ones can arrange for release, the time may seem to drag by. Cash bail in Schenectady, NY is too much for any of the relatives or friends to pay, even though it’s refundable at the end of the case.
Getting a Bail Bond
A bail bond is the only alternative, but they may still need time to put the money for the service fee together. That fee usually is 10 per cent of the cash bail. For $20,000 bail, the family and friends must come up with $2,000. That can be tough for people who are struggling financially. They may not be eligible for a loan. They may be able to combine their cash by everyone’s next payday, which could be a week or two away.
A Typical Jail Routine
While family members find it very hard to gather the cash bail in Schenectady, NY, the new defendant eagerly waits for the bond to be posted. During the next couple of weeks, the new inmate will need to follow the jail’s scheduled routine. That varies from facility to facility, depending on the ideas of the sheriff and others who supervise the inmates.
Most jail inmates are held for a relatively short time, although some are serving a sentence that allows them work or school release for a specified number of hours per day. Usually, everyone is expected to take part in some activity instead of sitting on a bunk or a common room watching TV. The activity might focus on cleaning projects in the facility, for example. Some might help out in the laundry room. A small library is usually available where the inmates can read for a while. Jails may hold 12-step meetings for recovering addicts.
Regaining Freedom
On average, life in county jail isn’t as harsh as it is in state prison. That doesn’t mean anyone wants to spend more days behind bars than is necessary. When a bond can be posted by an organization such as Business Name, the defendant will be thrilled to regain freedom before trial.
