Here are more details on how to send money to inmates in Orange County jail:

Ways of Sending Funds to Inmates
Inmates in Orange County can receive funds through EZ Card and Kiosk Company, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The Intake Release Center (IRC) provides kiosks in the lobby that accept:

• Cash
• Credit
• Debit cards

but they do not accept:

• Personal checks
• Company checks
• Cashier’s checks
• Traveler’s checks

While inmates are prohibited from possessing cash, you can open an inmate account for them. You can deposit funds that do not exceed $500 in the inmate account. Money can only be transferred among inmate accounts with the Watch Commander’s permission. Options for delivering the money are either the IRC or the Theo Lacy Branch Jail, which also has a lobby kiosk.

Reasons for Sending Money to Inmates
Inmates may need money for essentials including:

• Phone and computer use
• Medical supplies
• Restitution or jail fees
• Books/magazines
• Writing supplies-paper and writing utensils

Inmate Assess to Money
Inmates may have access to the funds as soon as half an hour after the transaction. Here are the types of funds that can be deposited to an inmate account:

• Money Orders
• City, County or State checks
• Federal Government checks

You must make a money order payable to the “Orange County Sheriff’s Department” and include inmate information on the check. Write the inmate’s name and booking number on the reference line. Then deposit the check at the Cashier’s office or send it directly to the inmate through the mail.

A bail bond company in Orange County will work with you at the Theo Lacy Facility to discuss posting a bond for your friend. Bonds are also accepted at the IRC. Keep in mind the Sheriff’s Department does not recommend specific bail bond agents. It’s important to contact and check the guidelines of the relevant institutions to make sure you are adhering to them.

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Here are some safety tips to minimize stress and maximize fun during the New Year season:

1. Stay with Your Friends
   If you are going to an event or party, make sure you go there with your friends or loved ones within a group as traveling with a group is safer. Be aware of what is happening around you. If you find anything suspicious, be extra alert and leave from there immediately.

2. Eat Dinner Before Drinking
   New Year’s is the best time to enjoy a nice dinner with your family and friends. Make sure to eat a full meal before drinking since this will not only help absorb the alcohol but will also prevent you from snacking on appetizers at bar tables. Foods like cheese, nuts and meat that are rich in protein are great choices.

3. Limit Your Drinks
   Alcohol is something that you can’t always avoid at a New Year’s Eve party. Remember your limits and try to stick to them. Drink water or non-alcoholic drinks in between every alcoholic drink to prevent yourself from getting too drunk. Drink responsibly to enjoy your New Year’s Eve party to the fullest.

4. Communicate Changes in Your Plans
   Even if you have made the best plans, something unexpected might happen during the night. Communicate any last minute changes in your plan to someone in your group. Keep a portable charger with you, so you can be reached on your phone. Don’t ignore your phone calls or messages on New Year’s Eve.

5. Don’t Drink and Drive
   It is recommended not to get behind the wheel after drinking. If you are planning to drink, designate a sober driver or take a cab to reach home safely. Don’t let yourself be involved with any DUI incidents. Also beware of other drunk drivers to avoid any accidents on the road.

Follow these safety tips and start off your New Year with no regrets!

Contact Signature Bail Bonds at (714) 240-2245 in case you or your loved ones need any help during DUI arrests.

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Consider these tips to keep yourself, your property and gifts safe this Christmas:

• Ask a trusted neighbor to watch your property
  If you are going away for the Christmas holidays, ask one of your neighbors to keep a close eye on your property and report any suspicious activities to the local police department. You can even ask them to park on your driveway to let others know someone is at home.

• Don’t hide spare keys near the entrance
  Burglars know where to look for the hidden keys. Don’t hide keys in flowerpots, above door ledges or under rocks. Give it to a trusted neighbor if you are going to be away for the holidays. Make sure keys are kept out of sight.

• Check with your local police department
  Many local police departments have residential security check programs where residents can inform them if they are away from their property for a long period of time. Call the police department in your local area to check if they have any such capabilities.

• Home Security Equipment
  You should review your home security requirements on a regular basis anyway, but it’s wise to make a note on your wall calendar for the beginning of November to check that window and door locks fit properly, and that burglar alarms and entry phone systems are serviced. Make sure your home and insurance are also up to date, and that any new and expensive purchases you’ve made during the year are covered within it.

• Turn off location tracker on social media
  Although some retailers will give you incentives to check in when you shop with them, sometimes, it’s just not worth the discount if thieves have hacked the store’s social media accounts.

• No need to publicize
  Still on the subject of social media, don’t Tweet, Facebook, or Instagram pictures of your gifts, and take particular care not to mention how much you might have spent. If you tag a store, or a brand, you’re running the risk of people other than your friends list seeing what you’ve purchased, and it’s not hard to find out where you live if you check in when you get home. Also, if you are going out of town this holiday season, do not make updates on social media about your absence. There’s a good possibility that someone on your friend’s list knows where you live and break into your home while you are away.

• Finally, observe good sense
  Close the curtains, and don’t put beautifully-wrapped presents around the tree until early Christmas morning when the household is starting to get up. If you think extra eggnog means you’ll forget, put post-it around the house to remind you to lock windows and doors at night.

Also Read: 5 Crimes That Can Actually Ruin Your Holidays

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How You Can Prevent Your Child from Committing Crimes
Falling in with the wrong crowd is one of the many worries of parents – how can they stop their child experimenting with drugs, getting involved with a violent gang, and perhaps becoming a victim of crime themselves? The fact is that your child will largely make their own decisions, for good or bad. Unless, you’re homeschooling the child, you cannot supervise them round the clock.

So what can you do?

• Treat Them Like an Adult
  The younger you allow children to not only have responsibility, but to take responsibility for their actions, the more likely it is that they will fully accept that those actions have consequences, sometimes serious ones.

• Give Them Freedom
  Give them freedom within boundaries. In addition, make sure that responsible adherence to these boundaries is rewarded in some way.

• Shock Treatment
  If your teen shows an alarming tendency to adopt the “it can’t happen to me” attitude, expose them to the consequences of their actions. Talk to your local law enforcement juvenile crime division, and educate them with what could happen, especially if their crimes could potentially lead them to being tried and incarcerated as an adult.

What You Need to Know about the Juvenile Arrest and Detention Process
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about juvenile arrest and detention process:

How long can a juvenile be detained?
If a juvenile is put on detention, he/she must be taken before to a Probation Officer within 24 hours of the arrest. Any minor who has been taken into custody must be presented before a judge for a Detention Hearing within two court days of the arrest.

Does a juvenile has Miranda rights?
The police have to tell the juvenile about their legal rights which are called “Miranda rights”. These rights include the following:

• The juvenile has the right to remain silent and refuse to answer.

• Anything they say may be used against them in a court.

• They have the right to a lawyer. If they or their parents cannot pay for the lawyer, the court has to appoint one.

• They have the right to an attorney who is effective. If they cannot pay for an effective lawyer, the court will get a lawyer for them. If the juvenile does not have a lawyer, you can talk to the public defender or another lawyer for advice.

How long can a juvenile be in juvenile hall?
If a juvenile is arrested and detained, the state’s laws and the judge of the juvenile court determine the length of the juvenile’s stay in juvenile hall. He/she may be allowed by the court judge to leave juvenile hall after the first court appearance. The court judge may require them to stay in juvenile hall until after their trial or sentence hearing.

A parent’s job is not easy – the most important thing is never to allow communication with your child to break down.

The post Juvenile Crime: Don’t Let Your Child Commit Life Damaging Acts appeared first on .

When you’ve got a family member that was arrested on Thanksgiving it can shatter your day and the holiday season. However, acting quickly can help your family get back to normal and help the person who was arrested.

Use this guide to learn more about what to do if you have a family member that is arrested on Thanksgiving:

Keep a Cool Head
When a family member gets arrested on Thanksgiving, it can be hard to imagine how you’ll get through the holiday season. Not panicking is an important first step, however.

The fact is that you need to help your loved one get out of jail, so they can return to the family. From there, you can help them work out any issues they may have and charges they may face in the future. Keep cool and get your family member home.

Also Read- How Bail Bonds Can Help in a Case of Innocent Imprisonment

Gather Information
If someone you love gets arrested on Thanksgiving, try to gather all the information about the arrest-where and when they were arrested, and what charges they were charged with. This will help your bail bond company to act quickly so that your loved one is with you on the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Help Them Get Out of Jail Fast
If someone is arrested during the Thanksgiving week, they might not be able to go to the court until Tuesday. This will put them at a greater risk. So it’s important to help them come out of jail as quickly as possible.

Arrange a Bond
Keeping a cool head is important when a family member is arrested around Thanksgiving. You also need to act fairly quickly to get that family member out of jail though. To do that, you’ll need to arrange a bail bond.

Finding a company that offers bail bonds in your area should be relatively easy. While it might be more difficult around the holidays, many bail bonds companies remain open. Just make sure you hire a trusted bond company to get your loved one out of jail.

Also Read:Avoid Spending Time in the OC Jail with Bail Bonds

Some bonds can even be purchased through e-mail without you going to a bail bond facility in person. For many people over the holiday season, this is an ideal option during a busy, stressful time.

Call us at (714) 240-2245 in case you need help to get your loved one out of jail!

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Use these five tips to make sure you avoid any legal issues that could impact you this Halloween season:

1. Limit Alcohol

Alcohol is a big part of Halloween for many people. Without having a drink or two, the spirit of the season just seems to be lost on some people. It’s when that drink becomes six that you’ve got a problem.

When you’re hosting a party, consider limiting how much alcohol each guest will get. Instructing the bartender to cut people off after a certain number of drinks can help as well.

Use breathalyzers to measure BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of the guests to check whether it is okay to drive. This will reduce the risk of drunk driving and getting a DUI. Breathalyzers will help you drive safe and avoid legal trouble this Halloween.

2. Go Booze Free

It may not feel quite the same, but a booze free party can still be fun. Consider implementing a no alcohol rule, or at least going BYOB, if you’re having a party this Halloween.

3. Inspect Your Home

Scary decorations are great for Halloween, but an actually scary home with loose floorboards and other hazards isn’t ideal. Inspect your home for safety issues and fix them before a party to avoid injuring your guests.

Scary decorations are great for Halloween, but an actually scary home with loose floorboards and other hazards isn’t ideal. Place candles away from the walking paths to avoid long costumes from brushing up against them. Don’t overload electrical outlets to prevent fire hazards.

Make sure your property is well lit and clear of any hazards that could injure your guests. Inspect your home for safety issues and fix them before a party to avoid injuring your guests.

4. Make Costumes Optional

Something about costumes just seems to make people rowdy. It’s like they feel like they aren’t themselves at all and can do whatever they want.
Make costumes optional and you might have a less crazy party.

5. Go Out Instead

One of the best ways to remove liability from your home is to leave it. You might love having parties, but going out makes you responsible for just your actions alone, not those of a whole group.

In case you get involved in any legal issues this Halloween or want help in getting you or your friends out of jail, contact us at (714) 240-2245.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

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Can You Get a Bail on a Probation Violation?
If you have violated your probation terms and conditions, be prepared to be arrested and held by the police until the Motion-for-Probation-Revocation is filed. Post filing, your lawyer will be able to plead in front of the judge and try and get you bail during the hearing. Remember, it is tough to get bail if you have violated your probation, but it is not impossible.

What Happens When You Violate Your Probation for the First Time?
If you violate your probation for the first time, you would receive a warning from the probation officer. He would warn you of the consequences that you would have to suffer if you violate your probation again. If the violation is not serious, he would not involve a judge to avoid a case load. If you pay attention to his warning, there will not be any issue.

Is Violation of Probation a Misdemeanor or Felony?
It depends whether you are on misdemeanor or felony probation. If you have violated your first misdemeanor probation and the violation is not serious, the judge may extend your existing probation or change some of the conditions to address the violation. However, violating probation in a felony offense can be more serious. It depends on the decision of the judge.

What Happens at a Court Hearing for Probation Violation?
Once you are accused of violating your probation, your lawyer would have to prove to the court why it is alright to give you bail. Your lawyer will have to convince the judge of the following:

• You will appear in court as and when needed
• You are not a threat in any way to the judicial-process
• You are not a threat to the community
• There is minimal-risk of you committing a new criminal act

Also Read: Consequences of Contempt of Court

What Are the Factors That Determine Whether You Are Granted Bail?
The judge will take into consideration your behavior prior to the pre-conviction bail. In addition, be prepared to have added terms and conditions imposed on the new bail. These could include a personal appearance and/or PR bond, reporting to the police station on a daily basis and maintaining your curfew time stringently.

Furthermore, the judge will take into consideration the factors and circumstances that led you to violate your probation, your family ties within the State where you violated the probation, your mental and physical state and whether you have violated your probation sometime in the past. The above factors will determine whether or not the judge grants you bail.

How Long Do You Have to Go to Jail for Probation Violation?
Jail time is the most common punishment for probation violation. Even if you have served your entire probation term, you can still be sentenced to the maximum jail time for the violation.

What Does It Mean When You Get Your Probation Revoked?
When your probation is revoked, you may be required to serve the remaining time of your original sentence in jail.

That is why it is very important not to violate your probation and if you do, hire a good lawyer who can defend you appropriately in court. There are no guarantees that you will get bail, but if you have not violated the terms deliberately, you can still get bail.

Also Read: How Bail Bonds Can Help in a Case of Innocent Imprisonment

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It’s not only about the cost but also the timeliness and speed of service that matters when it’s about getting your loved one out of jail. By knowing how actually you can find the best bail bond nearby in Orange County, you can easily avoid both the unnecessary expense and the mental torture.

How Fast They Can Do It?
This is the first thing you would want to know when your beloved one waits for you to get him/her out of the jail. A competent local bail bondsman is one who will be able to work with the courts and jails 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s necessary because they will have to work with judges and jail authorities to arrange for the bail hearing to get the bail posted as soon as possible. If they can work 7 days a week and during any hour of the day, they are more likely to arrange for one in the shortest time possible.

What Is Their Record?
Mere guarantee of 24 hours service can’t be the only factor. You should also check out your local bail bondsman’s record in dealing with different types of cases. If your loved one is arrested and charged for minor crimes such as driving under alcohol influence, then it shouldn’t be a big deal. However, a charge of more heinous crimes like a murder or rape requires a sound knowledge of the working domain for the bail bondsman. You can find about their record the following ways:

• Ask your bail bondsman to show their current bail license and inquire if their license has ever been suspended or revoked. A trustworthy bail bondsman will never hesitate to show you their license.

• Generally, the longer the bail bondsman or agency has been in the business, the better their track record of satisfied clients and successful bail postings.

• You can also ask the defendant’s lawyer for referring one. They know your defendant’s case in detail and they also have a long experience interacting with the bail bondsmen on a daily basis.

• If your bail bondsman has a sound local knowledge and a good history of arranging bails for even the most difficult cases, it’s more likely that they’ll fetch you the best deal in the shortest possible time.

What and How Will They Charge?
Make sure the charges on the bail contract include the upfront premium for the bail bond. The charges include 8-10% of the total bail amount as set by the court, with additional fees. The best bail bondsman can also offer no collateral but that will depend on the charges and the bail amount. Some also offers 0 to 4% down bail bonds.

Also, look for a flexible payment plans and methods to fit your budget. Most of them should accept cash, money orders, personal checks, and most major debit and credit cards.

Conclusion
Getting your loved one out of jail is your first priority, however you should never get swayed and go for the deceitful bail bond agencies who have their own priority of making great business out of your necessity.

Always select the right and the cheapest bail bondsman who isn’t only affordable but also fastest in getting their job done.

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There are three ways you can obtain a release for your loved one, when they are arrested and taken to jail:

• First, by citation (in cases of misdemeanor, like the first time driving under the influence arrest)
• Second, by posting bail (cash bail, bail bonds, or property bonds)
• Third, by simply promising to appear for all your court appearances

The third way is what we call in California, the Own Recognizance (O.R.) release.

What’s an Own Recognizance (O.R.) Bond?

An Own Recognizance bond, better known as O.R. bond, is granted by a judge once the review of an individual’s case and criminal history has been completed during a pretrial hearing. You don’t have to pay for the release, and you’re out just by signing your name. However, the judge considers these things in granting an O.R. release:

• The severity of the charges
• The suspect’s criminal record
• The risks of suspect fleeing from the town
• The danger posed to the public (especially the victims or witnesses) if the suspect is released
• The suspect’s ties to the family, community or employment

The Not-So-Easy Process of Getting an O.R. Release

It may seem easy and reasonable to get an O.R. release from the court, but there are a couple of fine-print items you will need to understand before you forgo the traditional bail bondsman for an O.R. bond for getting your loved one out of jail. Take a look at the not-so-easy process of getting an O.R. release from the court:

• Before considering your O.R. motion, the judge will send the case out for O.R. report. An O.R. investigator will be assigned to look at the background of the defendant (that’s your loved one), and the circumstances of the alleged crime and recommend whether an O.R. release should be granted or not.

• The next stage is to get the prosecutor on board. Your lawyer will have to convince the prosecutor with good information about your loved one (the defendant) about why there is no harm in allowing your loved one an O.R. release. The prosecutor rarely or at least seldom agree on this, which dissuades the judge in granting the O.R. release.

• The next thing you do is convince the judge. For that, you may have to bring in the letters of character from family and friends and the defendant’s employer. Sometimes you’ll have to bring in live witnesses to the court to testify about the character of the defendant.

Why Bail Bondsman Is a Better Option (In Comparison to an O.R. Bond)

Here are the reasons why an O.R. bond can become a nightmare when it’s about getting your loved one out of the jail instantly, and why a bail bondsman is a better option:

• The process for getting an O.R. bond is certainly longer than a bail bondsman. It takes time to acquire personal references that can vouch for your stability in the community.

  The release process in a bail bondsman can be between 10 minutes to 10 hours depending on the the location of the jail the person is in.

• Even after you arrange the needed references, and get the prosecutor on board, it’s solely on the conscience of the judge to decide whether to allow you an O.R. release or not.

  The court has to grant a bail to you unless you aren’t eligible for a bail in case of some heinous crime.

• O.R. bond frees you from paying a full bail amount however, suppose if you are arrested for minor crime involving drugs, the court may order you to enroll in a drug abuse class (for which you have to pay on your own) when it allows you an O.R. release.

• The bail bondsman charge only 8-10% of the full bail amount. Also, the bail collateral, which was offered to ensure that you appear in the court, is returned once the defendant appears in the court.

• Your prosecutor can go on record to point out the reasons why you shouldn’t be granted an O.R. release. That may dissuade the judge to grant an O.R.

  Your prosecutor cannot make any move to dissuade the judge from granting you a bail.

Using a bail bondsman is the fastest way to get out of jail. So, if you or your loved one is arrested for an offense, contact a licensed bail bondsman service near you to come out fastest from the jail.

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The devices that are used to track the suspect’s movements are broadly based on either radio frequency (RF) technology, or global positioning system (GPS) technology, and they are mainly attached like a bracelet to the wrist or arm of the participants. Three models of bracelets are available: one for GPS tracking, one for monitoring those in home detention, and one to track offenders’ blood alcohol levels.

Purpose of Using These Devices
Monitoring devices are often used by courts during the pre-trial and pre-release stages of criminal management. Electronic monitoring is very useful when preparing individuals for court, or for monitoring the release of the incarcerated back into society. This is because they will limit the chances of the offender missing court appearances or committing crimes. Tracking devices can also reduce custody population as individuals can be monitored to ensure that they abide by the rules of their bail or release.

How Do These Devices Work?

1. Radio Frequency Monitoring

In RF monitoring, a participant wears an ankle bracelet and a home monitoring unit is placed in his or her home. When bracelet comes in or go out of the range of monitoring unit, the unit sends a notice to the monitoring center. Usually the range of this unit is within 50 to 150 feet.

Depending on whether the offender is on probation, or parole, or under a prison release program, the court or a parole officer sets a person’s schedule. The person has to go from and come back to his home according to the schedule. These are more generally used for persons who are under house arrest.

2. Global Positioning System Monitoring

GPS technology is for a closer monitoring of more serious offenders such as ones accused of rape or murder. Similar to the RF technology, it also notifies the monitoring center when the participant comes in or goes out of the range. Additionally, it identifies a person’s speed of travel and when a person stops at a location for a length of time.

One other advantage of using GPS monitoring is the ability to set an inclusion zone or an exclusion zone. Officers can set an inclusion zone such as a workplace for participants who are allowed to work, and exclusion zones such as a place or address where participants are not allowed to go.

There are various different types of GPS monitoring devices. Some of them will track data in real time, whilst others may save the location details at regular intervals. It depends on the type of network they are using such as GPRS, SIM, radio or internet signal.

3. Electronic Tracking Devices In Use for Tracking

   Most of these electronic tracking devices make use of RF and/or GPS technology for the purpose of tracking a person’s activities and sending data to the monitoring center. They are generally attached to the high risk participant’s wrist or ankle with a reporting unit installed at home. While other tracking devices, which are used for tracking other lower risk cases such as alcohol monitoring, don’t necessarily use GPS. An internet connection is well enough for them.

Based on the type of activity required to be tracked, following are the types of electronic tracking devices that are in use for monitoring:

• GPS Active Tracking Tether

It monitors a person using satellites and reports information at set intervals. The system keeps a check on the movement in the predetermined area, and notifies via a pager to a GPS staff member about the participant’s movements in the excluded area.

• GPS Passive Tracking Tether

It also tracks a person’s movements and activities in the excluded or included area. However, unlike active tracking tethers’ ability to track in the real time, it tracks a person’s activity and stores the information for download the next day.

• Breathalyzer Monitor

It helps reviewing and tracking a person at random while at home. The person has to take a preliminary breath test once the system contacts the home. For added advantage, the system typically has a camera.

The two devices below are used for tracking a person’s alcohol intake. For persons who are frequently taken in for committing crimes such as accidents under alcohol influence, the following devices are used for monitoring their activities:

• Ignition Interlock

  Ignition interlocks are installed in the participant’s vehicle to analyze his or her breath for alcohol. The person has to blow in the machine and pass the test before the engine starts. If found under influence, the engine will not start.

• Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring (SCRAM)

  The SCRAM devices analyzes a person’s skin to determine the blood alcohol content once an hour. The unit begins to test every 30 minutes if it detects alcohol.

Benefits of Using These Devices

Electronic tracking devices are beneficial in many ways, including:

• It reduces the monitoring cost and eliminates the incarceration cost. The GPS and home detention bracelets cost less than $5 per day to monitor and the alcohol monitoring bracelet costs $15-$20 per day, while the average incarceration cost in California prisons falls around $220 per day.

• It helps in keeping a close tracking and monitoring on the more serious offenders such as a sex offenders or a murders who are out on bail.

So, this was all about electronic tracking devices.

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