Paying Bail by Credit Card
Heart of America Correctional & Treatment Center (HACTC) Announces Credit & Debit Card Payment Options for Bail Payments
Beginning 01/07/2016 consumers who wish to make cash bail payments to HACTC may do so using GovPayNet®. GovPayNet accepts the major credit, debit and prepaid debit card brands for cash bail 24/7 on-site, online (www.GovPayNow.com) or by phone (1-877-EZBAIL5). Cardholders can make payments on their own behalf or on behalf of friends or family. They need to only have some basic information about the arrestee and the bail amount information, which HACTC can provide prior to the cardholder contacting GovPayNet. For added convenience, GovPayNet dedicated, bilingual Criminal Justice Payment Specialists are available around the clock for cardholder assistance.
Cardholders pay a service fee at the time of their transaction. There are no charges to HACTC for participation in the GovPayNet service. Bail is the one payment to government that actually saves taxpayer dollars by avoiding unnecessary incarceration costs. Improving the convenience of bail transactions also reduces overcrowding, a major issue in some corrections systems. “This will help keep people who have been granted bail from needlessly spending time in jail, especially when it can be difficult for them or their families to access sufficient cash,” explained Mike Graner, Jail Administrator. “That will save our taxpayers money and improve our services.”
GovPayNet accepts Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express® and Discover®. “GovPayNet differs from other electronic funds processing companies because we are also a merchant for processing bail and related card payments in the criminal justice field,” said Mark MacKenzie, CEO of GovPayNet. “We tend to complete more legal releases because our specialists work to put a card payment strategy together, even if it means using more than one card or more than one cardholder so that the amount necessary for release can be paid in full.” GovPayNet, based in Indianapolis, is a category leader in processing bail and bail-related payments by card to courts and incarcerating agencies. More than 500 corrections systems nationally rely on GovPayNet to process bail and other criminal justice payments, which account for the majority of the nearly $200 million in payments the company handles annually for government agencies. “Making GovPayNet’s services available is an excellent opportunity for HACTC to be at the forefront in offering a convenient, flexible way to pay government obligations and improve pretrial services,” noted Mike Graner, Jail Administrator.
For more company information, visit the website at www.GovPayNet.com or call GovPayNet toll-free at (888) 561-7888.
