If you have ever been arrested, you are probably aware of how bail bonds work. However, if you are newly arrested or are looking for information for a family member or friend who was recently arrested, you are probably unsure of how a bail bond company works. Bail bonds allow people who are in jail, awaiting a trial to take advantage of their eighth amendment. The 8th amendment states that individuals have the right to be released while awaiting their trial. However, releasing anyone who is being accused of a crime is risky. They may choose to not return, because of the high likeliness of them being found guilty and having to serve some amount of jail time anyway. This is why a judge and the court systems use a bail bond.
The bail bond is a specific amount of money that is used to protect the release of the prisoner, as they await their court time. The charged individual is required to provide a specific amount of money to the court to hold their bond. If the individual returns for their court date, then the money is returned to them in full. If they fail to return for their court date, the money will be forfeited. The individual will still have a warrant out for their arrest and they are likely to not be given bail again. It is essentially a protection of the release of the individual.
The bond amount must be set by the judge who is responsible for the case. They will look at all factors and specifics of the case and the person in jail, and then will set the amount, based on that information. Misdemeanor criminal bonds and felony bonds will depend on the type of crime, the outcome of the crime and on any previous crimes that were committed. A separate study that was published in 2011 edition of Pediatrics showed that 1 in 3 people will be arrested by the time they reach the age of 23. It is very likely that a high percentage of these people will require funds for bond.
Not everyone has enough money available to post bail. Fortunately, they are still given the same rights of the 8th amendment as everyone else is. They have the ability to utilize the services of a bail bond agency. A bail bond agency provides bond for misdemeanor bonds and for misdemeanor criminal bonds. They essentially front the money for the bond, allowing the defendant to be released and to await their trial at home. The bail bondsman is taking the risk of the release. They are fronting the money, minus a small fee and will be the one to lose the money if the defendant does not return for their court date. In 2014, there were 6,745,600 people in the U.S. under correctional supervision. The misdemeanor criminal bonds and bondman is a way to provide some type of support and relief for these overcrowded jails. They provide the ability for inmates to be released, awaiting the outcome of their trial. This allows more serious and dangerous of inmates to be confined instead. This is also why those with more serious of charges than misdemeanor criminal bonds may not even be offered a bond. The potential threat to the city must also be taken into account by the judge.
Bail bonds are a part of the 8th amendment. A person has the right to await their trial and the outcome of their legal case in the comfort of their own home. They should not be locked up before finding out if they are even found to be guilty. A judge will set a specific amount of bond and the defendant can either put the money up or utilize the services of a bail bond agency. The bail bond agency takes the risk, offering the money, minus a small fee and then will have to track down the money from the defendant if they do not show up for their court date.
