Of all of the things that are wrong with the American prison system, one thing that hurts citizens the most is just how expensive it is. The US spends a staggering $13.6 billion a year on pre-trial detention, with much of that cost being borne by detainees and their families.
One quirk of the US justice system is the widespread use of bail money, which hardly any other countries actually use. In order to get yourself or a loved one out of pre-trial detention, you will have to stump up a lot of cash. The median bail amount in America is $10,000, which the majority of us do not have lying around. This is why the practice of bonding someone out of jail is so widespread.
By using bail bonds, you can secure the freedom of a loved one for a fraction of the cost, so that they can be with you while they await trial. Read on to find out exactly how jail bonds work and how you can use them to get your friend or family member out of jail.
1. How Does Bonding Someone Out of Jail Actually Work?
First, let’s break down what a bail bond actually is and how it works in practice. A jail bond is a surety bond provided by a bail bondsman to the jail on your behalf. What this means is that the jail bail bond company will post your bail in exchange for a fee.
Since it is a surety bond, they will technically be on the hook if the defendant flees, which is they tend to go to some pretty serious measures to prevent this from happening. This is the essential jail bond definition you need to know.
2. How Do You Start the Process?
Fortunately, starting the bail bond process is often easy and straightforward. You will need to find a bond company that serves the jurisdiction that the detainee is being held in. You then make an application to secure a bail bond. This will include a background check, as the company will need to assess whether the detainee is a flight risk.
You then pay the bond fee, which is usually a small fraction of the overall bail value. Once this payment is cleared and your application is accepted, the bail bond company will post bail on your behalf. Always make sure to use a trusted, state-wide bail bond provider such as kissimmee.bail2go.com, which will always notify you about court dates so that your loved one never misses an important appointment.
3. How Much Do You Pay?
You might be wondering how much you actually pay to secure a bail bond. This is always calculated as a percentage of the overall bail amount and can range from 5% to 20%, depending on the case. Let’s say your loved one has been slapped with a $10,000 bail and you use a bail bond company that offers a 10% bond fee.
In this case, you would pay the bail bond company $1000 as a fee and they would post the $10,000 bail for you. They would keep the 10% fee in exchange for this service, meaning you do not get your $1000 back, regardless of the outcome of the trial. However, this is much, much more affordable than paying the full bail amount.
Your Legal Questions, Answered
Knowing the ins and outs of bonding someone out of jail could be a lifesaver in the future. For more answers to those essential legal questions, we have got you covered. Make sure to consult our dedicated Law section for the essential information you need to know.
