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Current as of January 01, 2026 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
1. Each county jail shall be used:
(a) For the detention of persons duly committed to secure their attendance as witnesses in any criminal case;
(b) For the detention of persons charged with crime, and committed for trial or examination;
(c) For the detention of persons awaiting the availability of a court, pursuant to the provisions of section 210.10, subdivision two of section 530.70 or subdivision two of section 410.40 of the criminal procedure law;
(d) For the confinement of persons duly committed for any contempt, or upon civil process;
(e) For the confinement of persons convicted of any offense and sentenced to imprisonment therein, or awaiting transportation under sentence to imprisonment in another county;
(f) For the confinement of persons during any proceedings pursuant to article ten of the mental hygiene law.
(g) [Expires and deemed repealed Sept. 1, 2026, pursuant to L.2011, c. 573, § 4.] For the confinement of persons committed pursuant to an agreement authorized by section five hundred-o of this article.
2. The Onondaga county jail may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment.
2-a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the city council of the city of Elmira may enter into an agreement with the county of Chemung by which the county, through its facilities at the Chemung county jail, shall undertake to provide services pertaining to the confinement of individuals arrested or detained by police officers or other law enforcement officers within the city of Elmira who have been detained and are awaiting arraignment or initial court appearances.
2-b. The Erie county holding center and the Erie county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment.
2-c. The Yates county jail may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Yates.
2-d. [Formerly subd. 2-c, added by L.2003, c. 171, § 1, renumbered subd. 2-d by L.2004, c. 555, § 1. See, also, subd. 2-d, below.] Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the Cortland county jail may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest and being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Cortland.
2-d. [Added by L.2004, c. 559. See, also, subd. 2-d, above.] The Putnam county jail may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Putnam.
2-e. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the city of Rochester may enter into an agreement with the county of Monroe by which the county, through its facilities at the Monroe county jail, shall undertake to provide services pertaining to the confinement of individuals arrested or detained by police officers or other law enforcement officers within the city of Rochester who have been detained and are awaiting arraignment or initial court appearances.
2-f. The Warren county jail may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Warren.
2-g. [As added by L.2005, c. 84. See, also, subd. 2-g below.] The Niagara county jail may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Niagara.
2-g. [As added by L.2005, c. 258. See, also, subd. 2-g above.] The Genesee county jail may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Genesee.
2-h. The Allegany county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Allegany.
2-i. The Seneca county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Seneca.
2-j. [As added by L.2010, c. 249. See, also, subd. 2-j below.] The Montgomery county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Montgomery.
2-j. [As added by L.2010, c. 260. See, also, subd. 2-j above.] The Chautauqua county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Chautauqua.
2-k. The Ontario county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Ontario.
2-l. The Albany county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Albany.
2-m. The Jefferson county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Jefferson.
2-n. [As added by L.2015, c. 321, § 1. See, also, subd. 2-n as added by another act.] The Livingston county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any local court in the county of Livingston.
2-n. [As added by L.2015, c. 442, § 1. See, also, subd. 2-n as added by another act.] The Schenectady county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Schenectady.
2-o. [Added by L.2016, c. 173. See, also, subds. 2-o, below.] The Washington county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Washington.
2-o. [Added by L.2016, c. 189. See, also, subds. 2-o, above and below.] The Fulton county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Fulton.
2-o. [Added by L.2016, c. 210. See, also, subds. 2-o, above.] The Orleans county jail may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Orleans.
2-p. The Essex county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Essex.
2-q. The Oneida county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Oneida.
2-r. The Otsego county jail may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Otsego.
2-s. [As added by L.2018, c. 334, § 1. See, also, subds. 2-s below.] The Steuben county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Steuben.
2-s. [As added by L.2018, c. 385, § 1. See, also, subds. 2-s above and below.] The Wayne county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Wayne.
2-s. [As added by L.2018, c. 487, § 1. See, also, subds. 2-s above and below.] The Tioga county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Tioga.
2-s. [As added by L.2018, c. 505, § 1. See, also, subds. 2-s above.] The Broome county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of persons under arrest being held for arraignment in any court located in the county of Broome.
2-t. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, where the chief administrator of the courts establishes an off-hours arraignment part in a county in accordance with paragraph (w) of subdivision one of section two hundred twelve of the judiciary law, the county correctional facility may be used for the detention of persons who are eighteen years of age or older under arrest being held for arraignment in such part.
2-u. The Madison county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of individuals detained and imprisoned under the authority and jurisdiction of the Oneida Indian Nation court pursuant to a county-tribal detention agreement between the county of Madison, the Madison county sheriff and the Oneida Indian Nation pursuant to section eight hundred fifty-four of the county law.
2-v. The Oneida county correctional facility may also be used for the detention of individuals detained and imprisoned under the authority and jurisdiction of the Oneida Indian Nation court pursuant to a county-tribal detention agreement between the county of Oneida, the Oneida county sheriff and the Oneida Indian Nation pursuant to section eight hundred fifty-three of the county law.
3. The buildings, now used as jails of the counties of the state, shall continue to be the jails of those counties respectively, until other buildings have been designated or erected for that purpose, according to law.
4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a county jail may be used for the electronic acquisition and transmission of fingerprint and other identification records pursuant to article one hundred sixty of the criminal procedure law.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - New York Consolidated Laws, Correction Law - COR § 500-a. Use of jails - last updated January 01, 2026 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/correction-law/cor-sect-500-a/
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