DALLAS, Nov. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Bail Bonds Dallas has a front row seat at this country's bail bonds reform activities. As such, we see a lot of good information being delivered to the public, but we also see a sizeable amount of misinformation being disseminated as well. We'd like to take this opportunity to point out some of the facts and help identify some of the myths. The supporters of bail reform, however well meaning, often use the same talking points across the board – that monetary bail is somehow unfair. But is that actually correct? Is it really accurate to say that defendants are only in jail because they can't afford a $175 bond? What about regulations – some proponents of bail reform have also painted a picture that the bail industry is unregulated and conducts itself as if it's part of the old the wild, wild west.
Maybe we should take a look at the facts vs. the myths.
Myth: People are wasting away in jail cells solely because they can't afford a bail bond.
Lets take a deeper look. People don't stay in jail because of the size of their wallet. If a person is in jail its because they have been accused of committing a crime or someone witnessed them committing a crime and they are there due to probably cause, which was determined by a law enforcement officer.
Next, there are any number of reasons why a person is being held in jail but hasn't yet been convicted on a crime. Some of those reasons could include:
- Probation violations – bonds may be set, but the defendant is not bondable
- Immigration hold – bonds set, but the defendant has an I.C.E. hold
- Out of County charges – awaiting transfer to another county or jurisdiction for other charges
- Already convicted and now has a new charge – not bondable. Awaiting hearing on new charges
Lastly, and definitely the most important is this fact: the defendant's family and friends may not be willing to post bond based on the defendant's previous criminal history or their previous interactions with the family. It may have nothing at all to do with whether or not the money is available.
There's no way to know the exact reasons why family members may choose to not post bond, but below are some of the reasons we've seen here at Southern Bail Bonds Dallas include:
The defendant had bonds posted previously and failed to appear in court, which costs the cosigners money to cover forfeiture fees. In a situation like this, it's easy to see where the cosigner may not be willing to post yet another bond, especially if they were never reimbursed for the first bond that was forfeited or they feel the defendant will forfeit their bond again.
What if the defendant has a drug or other substance abuse problem that the cosigners are aware of? There are times when the cosigners feel as long as the defendant is in custody it's harder for them to continue to abuse drugs. It may also prevent the defendant from harming themselves or another person.
It could also be a tough-love or scared-straight situation where the family and friends want the defendant to realize the situation they've put themselves in. The family wants the defendant to realize that continuing on their current path will lead them to a much longer stint in county jail or prison or worse.
Family and friends are much closer to the defendant and know far more about the situation than a court or bondsman ever would, and they are in a far better position to make those decisions.
There are times when a defendant isn't bonded out because their family needs time to make arrangements for them to enter into some sort of needed treatment – like drug or alcohol rehab, etc. They quite possibly may have to decide whether to spend their available funds on a bond or on getting treatment started which would help the defendant more in the long run.
Myth: Money Bail Does Not Have An Affect on Failure To Appear Rates
All legitimate 3rd party peer reviewed studies showed that using financially secured release (bail) is the most effective way to ensure a defendant's appearance in court.
Bail agents, the research showed, were the true "long arms of the law" insofar as they effectively reduced long-term fugitive rates and returned defendants to court.
If you have questions about the bail bond industry, bail reform or just general questions about posting bail, please feel free to contact our office at 214-372-2500.
Southern Bail Bonds Dallas can assist with all your bail bonds needs, and we are here to answer any questions you may have regarding the bail bond process. Our consultations are always free.
SOURCE Southern Bail Bonds
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