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| N.Y. County jails now take credit cards to post bail |
| By The Post-Standard |
| Published: 09/19/2003 |
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Inmates with cash flow problems can now tell jailers to 'charge it' when posting bail as Onondaga County, N.Y., Sheriff Kevin Walsh said last week the justice center jail is now taking plastic. 'This will reduce the number of people being incarcerated overnight or through the weekend, when banks are closed,' Walsh said. There is no automated teller machine in the jail. Onondaga County joins Madison and Oswego counties in offering the service. Cayuga County accepts only cash for bail. The program poses no risk to the county or taxpayers, said Anthony Callisto, chief of the department's custody division. County officials contracted with a private company that will oversee all the credit card payments. 'They'll accept the card and pay the bail to us, so if someone doesn't pay a bill or if the card turns up stolen, we're not out any dollars,' Callisto said. Government Payment Service Inc., a company based in Indianapolis, will operate a 24-hour toll-free number for people to call and post bail. Those who use it will pay a small service charge, Callisto said. The company contracts with more than 745 police agencies across the country and processed more than $23 million in transactions last year. |
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