Address:
3400 FM 350 South
Livingston, TX 77351
Phone:
936-967-8000
Call 936-967-8000 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Polk County inmate locator.
Yes, Polk County recognizes most types of bonds.
There are four types of bail available in Polk County:
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
Texas law requires bail be set “without delay and no later than 48 hrs.” after arrest.
Bail is what the arrested in Polk 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 Texas 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 IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center 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.
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, Polk 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.
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.
In Bexar County for example, the requirements for a personal recognizance bond are as follows; you must be a resident of Bexar County and must not be on parole, bond, or probation for another offense.
However, Bexar County Pretrial Services is unable to write a PR bond for certain types of criminal offenses. These offenses include first degree felony charges and those who have a history of bond forfeitures.
There is a disadvantage to a PR bond in that If the accused doesn’t show up to court, they will be liable to pay the entire bond amount.
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 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.)
Yes, Polk County recognizes most types of bonds.
There are four types of bail available in Polk County:
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
Texas law requires bail be set “without delay and no later than 48 hrs.” after arrest.
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
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 Texas could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Yes, Polk County does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center for more information about the jails in Polk County.
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Polk County.
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.
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
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.
The IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center 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.
Please call the jail at 936-967-8000 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center.
A bond is set according to a court-approved schedule.
The purpose of the bond is to assure the offender's appearance in court.
Because Polk County and Texas can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center at 936-967-8000, 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 IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center or the Polk County Court Clerk these specific questions:
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 IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center
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 IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center 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 IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center where the defendant is being held, but usually to the Polk County Sheriff's Office or to the Polk 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 IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center
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 IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center
If you are a landowner in Polk County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within Polk 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 Polk 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 IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center.
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 Texas state licensed Bail Bond firm.
Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.
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, Polk County Court may retain whatever amount of fines or fees have accumulated throughout the trial.
The Polk 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.
For complete information on depositing money in an inmate's account, check out our Inmate Money page.
To visit an inmate in Polk County you need to do the following:
IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center uses the services of NCIC for remote video visitation. In other words, you can visit your inmate in jail by using your home computer, as long as it is equipped with a microphone and camera that supports video.
When available, the jail also provides use of ‘video visit kiosks’ in the IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center lobby if you do not have a computer at home. These ’on-site’ video visits are FREE.
Costs
NCIC Video Visitation fees are subject to change, but the cost to you is roughly $7.50 ($0.25 per minute) for a 30-minute visit + an additional fee of $2.00 for the connection.
On-site (at the jail) video visits are FREE.
How to set up your Video Visit
Your inmate will be notified by the IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center staff of the date and time for the visit. Be sure to be in front of your computer and connected to NCIC at least 15 minutes before the start of the visit.
NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]
For all the information you need to know, whether it be 'in person' at-the-jail visitation or remote video visitation with your Polk County inmate, go to our Visit Inmate Page.
Schedule Video Visits online with NCIC
| DAY | TIME |
| SUNDAY | No video sessions |
| MONDAY | 9:00 AM - 12:00PM |
| TUESDAY | 9:00 AM - 12:00PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 9:00 AM - 12:00PM |
| THURSDAY | 9:00 AM - 12:00PM |
| FRIDAY | 9:00 AM - 12:00PM |
| SATURDAY | No video sessions |
| DAY | TIME |
| SUNDAY | 9:00 AM - 8:30PM |
| MONDAY | 9:00 AM - 8:30PM |
| TUESDAY | 9:00 AM - 8:30PM |
| WEDNESDAY | 9:00 AM - 8:30PM |
| THURSDAY | 9:00 AM - 8:30PM |
| FRIDAY | 9:00 AM - 8:30PM |
| SATURDAY | 9:00 AM - 8:30PM |
IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center offers NCIC tablets to rent to inmates that they can use for video visitation and calls, phone calls, instant messaging, education and entertainment.
They can also be used for commissary ordering.
To find out more bout how much tablets cost to rent, and what programs, entertainment, education and other things it can be used for, check out our Tablet Page.
There are FOUR options for putting money on an inmate's books:
Option 1 - Dropping Money at the IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center
Bring money to the jail in person.
Either the jail personnel will process the Inmate Account payment or you will use the NCIC self-serve kiosk in the lobbies that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.
Option 2 - Deposit Inmate Money Online
IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center uses NCIC to process all online deposits to an inmate's account. NCIC charges you a small fee for doing so, but the fee probably isn't as much as gas and parking would cost to take it to the jail in person.
Option 3 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail
Mailing a deposit takes more time to process than the other methods but can be done if you live too far away to bring it in person and you don't have a debit/credit card for online deposits. Never send cash. Always send a Money Order from the US Post Office, a reputable bank or Western Union.
Make the Money Order out to the inmate's name and put their Inmate ID# in memo section of the Money Order. Mail it to the IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center address on this page, or to the address below if it is different than the facility address.
Inmate's Full Name & Detainee A#
IAH – Secure Adult Detention Facility
3400 FM 350 South,
Livingston, Texas 77351
Option 4 - Make an Inmate Deposit over the Phone by calling 800-943-2189
For more information about sending an inmate money for phone cards or other commissary sundries, check out our Inmate Money Page.
To send a secure email message to an inmate in IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center follow these steps:
IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center uses the services of NCIC for you to deposit funds into your {Polk County inmate’s account so that you and they can purchase secure email messaging services from this jail’s e-messaging service.
You can deposit money three different ways:
• Deposit online at NCIC.com
• Deposit at the kiosk in the IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center lobby, if available.
• Deposit over the phone 24/7 at 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069 (Note: if you deposit money using a live agent the fee is $5.95).
Email – [email protected]
For all information on how to Text/Email an Inmate in IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center check out our Secure Messaging Guide for Polk County.
To receive phone calls from inmates in Polk County, or to assist them in making phone calls from jail to other people, follow these steps:
For all the information regarding phone calls with Polk County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.
To receive phone calls from an inmate in Polk County follow these instructions:
IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center uses the services of NCIC for inmate phone calling. It is called a ‘friends & family account”.
In order to receive phone calls from your inmate, you need to do the following:
NOTE:
1. You cannot receive any calls to your phone number from your inmate until both you and your phone number are registered.
2. When you do receive a call, the number you will view on your phone from the incoming call is: 800-943-2189.
3. When allowed by IAH (Polk) ICE Detention Center, families can also leave secure voicemails for inmates to listen to.
Fees
NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]
Full list of participating jails.
For all the information regarding phone calls with Polk County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, fees, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.
To purchase commissary for an inmate in Polk County follow these instructions:
For more detailed information on Ordering Commissary, Depositing Money, Setting up Phone & Visitation Accounts; costs, fees, restrictions, rules and more with Tiger Commissary Services, check out our Commissary Page.
