A Way Out Bail Bonds

What do bail bondsmen ACTUALLY do ?

Vernon King — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 01:37:57 +0000

I keep reading about “bail reform” in different states across this country. So I wanted to let everyone, who takes the time to read this, know exactly what bail bondsmen ACTUALLY do.
Firstly, PEOPLE ARE NOT IN JAIL BECAUSE THEY ARE POOR!! People are arrested when there is “probable cause” that the person MAY HAVE committed a crime. When police investigate crimes, a person’s financial status IS NOT CONSIDERED IN ANY WAY. Bail bondsmen do NOT set bail amounts. So, all these extremely high bail amounts for minor offenses have nothing at all to do with bail bondsmen. Most bail bondsmen work out payment plans in order to help people. Other times, the friends or family of the inmate DO NOT WANT THEM OUT OF JAIL for whatever reason. I know bail bondsmen all over this country, and most of us are GREAT people.
WE are the FIRST responders when someone is arrested. We see people at their worst usually. They’ve been arrested and are coming out of jail. It doesn’t matter what time it is. When my phone rings, and I have a mother on the phone crying and scared because she’s never been through this – my job begins. I explain how the process works to her and try to ease her mind some. I meet her – and sometimes the entire family – at the jail, whether it’s 2 in the afternoon or 2 in the morning. The mother is asking me all kinds of questions, and also explaining her son’s entire life history to me sometimes. Sometimes, a person just needs someone to listen – which is just one of my many jobs. While mom and I are talking, I tell her about different resources – whether its anger management classes, or drug rehabs, or church groups, or just different experiences I’ve had in my own life. So, once her son – my client – is released, I meet him and talk to him. Whatever he wants to talk about. Again, sometimes listening means a lot. I explain to him what could happen if he doesn’t show up in court. Sometimes, a week or two later, the family calls me because they have another question – and of course, I answer it as best as I can. My job doesn’t stop once I bond someone out of jail. I have to – and WANT TO – be there for them as long as they need me. And that’s just ONE client.
On a different note, if we bond someone out of jail, and they start breaking the law again, we can revoke the bond and put them back in jail. We don’t just send a violation to the judge who sends a warrant to an already overworked police force.
Pretrial services sounds great to the average person. However, when a person is placed on pretrial services, they have to take time off work whether the boss wants them to or not. Pretrial services is extremely expensive to every tax payer out here. Millions and millions of YOUR dollars being spent to “monitor” people who haven’t been convicted of anything. It’s also NOT TRUE, they reduce recidivism. I bond people out a few times a week for a “pretrial violation” and they haven’t been convicted of the original charge yet. Pretrial services sets people up to fail, in my opinion. They are an expensive 3rd party that serves very little purpose.
Being a bail bondsmen IS NOT just about making money. Of course, we make a living doing this. However, every person who does a job does it with the intention of making a living. But WE ARE NOT the way the media or television portrays us. Bail bondsmen are small business owners. We employ people. We pay taxes. We guarantee people show up to court – and if they don’t show up to court – we go find them, no matter where they are, at no cost to taxpayers. More importantly, than any of that – WE HELP PEOPLE. I, personally, have paid people’s rent so they didn’t lose their home. I have purchased so many cases of diapers for moms and grandmothers who’s on a fixed income and can’t buy them. I’ve purchased Easter AND Christmas presents for one of my client’s family’s because they were struggling to put food on the table, so to give the kids some “normality” in their life. I replaced a kids used Air Jordan shoes, with brand new ones, after they were stolen from him. I’ve paid off a guys court fines to help him get his drivers license so he could drive to work without getting arrested for driving. I have purchased ALL the school supplies for ALL OF THE CHILDREN IN TWO women’s shelters. I gave a 3 yr old little girl $82.00 back, that someone who broke into her family’s house stole from her. I paid all of the elementary school lunch accounts that were behind – 52 kids lunch accounts were behind. I paid all 52 accounts off and added 5 days of lunch for each child.
These are just some of the things I personally have done. All at no cost to anyone else. I do these things because I care about genuinely helping people. I know how fortunate and lucky I am to be able to do these things. I’m not saying any of this to “brag” or anything negative. I want people to know these things now because I think it’s time to shine a positive light on the bail bond industry. I challenge all my friends to tell us all something positive you’ve done as a bail bondsmen!!!

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What is Secured Bail and Pretrial Services ??

Vernon King — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 02:03:29 +0000

I’ve been a bondsman for a number of years, and there’s always been a “fight” between secured bail and “pretrial services”. I’m writing this to educate anyone who takes the time to read this.
When a person gets arrested, sometimes the Court needs some assurance the defendant will appear at all scheduled court appearances. That’s where bail bondsmen/bondswomen play a crucial part of the Criminal Justice System. When someone’s released on a secured bond, we, as bondsmen guarantee the Court WE will pay the entire bail amount if the defendant doesn’t appear and we can’t deliver them back to the Court. It’s a financial contract between the Court and us. Most bonding companies, mine included, require family or someone close to the defendant, to sign a contract that basically says they’ll have to pay us back if we have to pay the Court. The bonding company and the “cosigner” all have something to lose if the defendant doesn’t keep their promise to the Court. There’s real incentive to MAKE the defendant keep his promise to the Court. If that’s not enough, and the defendant flees, THE BAIL BONDSMAN, will go after the defendant anywhere in the country and bring them back to the court. AT NO EXPENSE TO THE PUBLIC. Let’s say that again – NO FINANCIAL EXPENSE TO THE PUBLIC. We, bondsman, get the defendant off the streets as quick as possible AT OUR OWN EXPENSE.
Now, let’s talk about “Pretrial Services”. Most of the time when a defendant is released on an unsecured bond, it includes “pretrial services”. When a defendant is put on “pretrial services” they are required to “check in” every so often and take drug tests. That’s pretty much it. “Pretrial Services” does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to ENSURE THE DEFENDANT’S APPEARANCE IN COURT. If the defendant doesn’t appear in court, or fails a drug test, or violates their pretrial – “Pretrial Services” issues a violation to the Court. That’s it. Then, the warrant is given to the ALREADY OVERWORKED police department. ALL AT TAXPAYER’S EXPENSE. AGAIN – ALL AT TAXPAYER’S EXPENSE.
Pretrial Services argues that “secured bail makes it hard for poor people to make bail”. Another argument I’ve heard is “bail bondsman only do it for the money”. Well, I’m a bail bondsman and yes, I do get paid for my service. BUT SO DO THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK FOR PRETRIAL SERVICES. THEY GET PAID BY THE STATE, FROM MY TAX DOLLARS. AND YOURS…
Bail bondsman DO NOT SET BOND AMOUNTS. The JUDGE SETS the bail based on many factors. If people don’t wanna sit in jail, DON’T BREAK THE LAW !!
Most of the bail bondsmen I know, CARE A GREAT DEAL ABOUT OUR CLIENTS. WE, BAIL BONDSMAN ARE THE FIRST RESPONDERS. I can’t speak for other bondsmen, but I have paid people’s rent. Bought diapers, toys, fixed windows, and helped clients get jobs. I have donated school supplies to numerous women’s shelters for the children in those shelters. I’VE DONE ALL THOSE THINGS AND MORE BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT MY CLIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. BAIL BONDSMAN, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PAY MILLIONS IN TAXES, AND PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT SERVICE AT NO EXPENSE TO ANYONE ELSE.
This shouldn’t even be a debate. It’s pretty simple and comes down to one question……DO YOU THE TAXPAYER, WANT TO PAY FOR PEOPLE TO BE RELEASED FROM JAIL WITH NO INCENTIVE TO RETURN TO COURT ??

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Bail Bondsman ruining the business for everyone

Vernon King — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 14:59:26 +0000

Virginia Bail Bond Fee is 10%

I get a phone call from one of the jails I post bail bonds at. The inmate has a “$150” dollar bond. His “baby mama” has 50 bucks. He guarantees he can get the other $100 as soon as he gets out. Will I get him out ? This is one of the regular phone calls I get. There’s a few things that are running through my mind. 1. This guy’s a freaking idiot. 2. If his “baby mama” doesn’t have the $150 that it takes to pay this guy’s bail fee, how would she cover the $1500 if the bail bond was to go bad ? 3. What makes this guy think that any bondsman would even consider this ? And, last, I’m thinking “I wonder which bondsman will get him”. Because someone will. The math in this business is math that a 10 year old can do. It’s simple. First the bond isn’t 150 dollars. I hate when they say that. The bond is actually $1500 and the co-signer has to pay $150 or 10 percent. The 10% is NOT a “general rule bail bondsmen go by”. It’s the LAW. READ THE LAW HERE.

Of course every bail bondsmen has “regulars”. And I, as well, try to do everything I can to help my “regulars” get out of jail. But I refuse to work for free. And when certain bondsmen who regularly post bail at the Pamunkey Regional Jail are posting bail bonds for next to nothing, how can any bondsman compete with that ?? This happens at all the jails I post bail regularly. Northern Neck Regional Jail. Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center. The Saluda Jail has to be one of the worst. You have bondsmen who’ll post a $25,000 bond for $250. One percent. What’s that say ? To me, it say’s that bondsman has no respect for this business. I realize to the defendant, it’s great. However, I wonder what that bondsman would say to the judge who issued that high bond.

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Helping the Community

Vernon King — Thu, 22 May 2014 19:05:55 +0000

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When thieves steal from children, people get offended. Thursday night at 11, we told you about a Chesterfield family being hit by burglars – they even took the toddler’s piggy bank! Bail bondsman Vernon King called 12, wanting to help. The surprise left the little girl speechless. Disgust drove King to replace the cash thieves took when they cracked open Continue Reading

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