4 ms·

Just a little quibble... if 100% of the bail bond is returned to the accused, how exactly does the bail bond company make money? If the bail bond company can't

Just a little quibble... if 100% of the bail bond is returned to the accused, how exactly does the bail bond company make money? If the bail bond company can't make money on the deal, they won't offer their services... Which would end up making it harder for the relatively poor to make bail... How about this: Just get rid of bail entirely for low level offenses. When a minor crime is expected to be charged, bring the suspect in, fingerprint and identify them, give a court date, then... let them go home.

mikestew 11y ago
> Just a little quibble... if 100% of the bail bond is returned to the accused, how exactly does the bail bond company make money? The bail bond company wouldn't be involved at all if the accused has the money for bail. The bail bond company is bonding the accused for the whole amount, that's the (typically) 10% the accused is paying. (EDIT: and if you don't show up for court, the bond company is authorized to go get you and drag your ass in. 'cause they're out their money otherwise. And thus you get such quality TV as Bounty Hunters.) However, if you can muster the whole amount, you don't need a bail bond company. Ergo, if bail amounts were reasonable, we would have less of a need for bail bond companies. Your last paragraph is covered by "OR" or "own recognizance". IOW, you go home with no money out of pocket. However, one must wait until arraignment before a judge before OR is an option. Waiting for arraignment is the part we could get rid of with your proposal.
pavel_lishin 11y ago
A bail companies will put up the actual bail, and charge the arrested person a flat fee that does not get returned to them. Of course, if the arrested person runs off, they're out the money they paid the court.
russnewcomer 11y ago
You're completely correct, and my meaning was to say 100% of the bail, not the bail bond. I originally transposed the meaning of bail and bond in typing my post, and didn't correctly edit it. Obviously the bail bond companies can set their own fees, this is more for the case of people being able to bail themselves out without the need for a bond.
stephengillie 11y ago
Sorry for the tangent - I just realized Bail Bonds companies are just Payday Loans companies that exclusively operate in bail.
kiliantics 11y ago
This is the way it works for minor offences in other countries. They don't even bother with fingerprints where I'm from. The state-corporate alliance sure loves screwing people over wherever they can in the US.
fnordfnordfnord 11y ago
>How about this: Just get rid of bail entirely for low level offenses. When a minor crime is expected to be charged, bring the suspect in, fingerprint and identify them, give a court date, then... let them go home. That's called a PR bond "Personal Recognizance" Ken Paxton the AG of Texas was recently released on a PR bond after being charged with a felony in Colin County, Tx. PR bonds are an option in most states (I think), but rarely used for, reasons. After the Sandra Bland death, there are noises being made here about making PR bonds the mandated default in Texas for most petty (petit?) crimes & misdemeanors.

mikestew 11y ago

> Just a little quibble... if 100% of the bail bond is returned to the accused, how exactly does the bail bond company make money? The bail bond company wouldn't be involved at all if the accused has the money for bail. The bail bond company is bonding the accused for the whole amount, that's the (typically) 10% the accused is paying. (EDIT: and if you don't show up for court, the bond company is authorized to go get you and drag your ass in. 'cause they're out their money otherwise. And thus you get such quality TV as Bounty Hunters.) However, if you can muster the whole amount, you don't need a bail bond company. Ergo, if bail amounts were reasonable, we would have less of a need for bail bond companies. Your last paragraph is covered by "OR" or "own recognizance". IOW, you go home with no money out of pocket. However, one must wait until arraignment before a judge before OR is an option. Waiting for arraignment is the part we could get rid of with your proposal.

pavel_lishin 11y ago

A bail companies will put up the actual bail, and charge the arrested person a flat fee that does not get returned to them. Of course, if the arrested person runs off, they're out the money they paid the court.

russnewcomer 11y ago

You're completely correct, and my meaning was to say 100% of the bail, not the bail bond. I originally transposed the meaning of bail and bond in typing my post, and didn't correctly edit it. Obviously the bail bond companies can set their own fees, this is more for the case of people being able to bail themselves out without the need for a bond.

stephengillie 11y ago

Sorry for the tangent - I just realized Bail Bonds companies are just Payday Loans companies that exclusively operate in bail.

kiliantics 11y ago

This is the way it works for minor offences in other countries. They don't even bother with fingerprints where I'm from. The state-corporate alliance sure loves screwing people over wherever they can in the US.

fnordfnordfnord 11y ago

>How about this: Just get rid of bail entirely for low level offenses. When a minor crime is expected to be charged, bring the suspect in, fingerprint and identify them, give a court date, then... let them go home. That's called a PR bond "Personal Recognizance" Ken Paxton the AG of Texas was recently released on a PR bond after being charged with a felony in Colin County, Tx. PR bonds are an option in most states (I think), but rarely used for, reasons. After the Sandra Bland death, there are noises being made here about making PR bonds the mandated default in Texas for most petty (petit?) crimes & misdemeanors.