In reading about the injustice of bail, a person may find harrowing stories in which defendants spend more than six months in a county jail without being convicted of a crime. The charge might be for a nonviolent offense like shoplifting. If they cannot afford bail and do not have access to bail bonds, there may be no way out before trial. In Oklahoma, defendants can apply for County Bonds in Midwest City in order to be released from jail on bond. Not all states offer this service, however.
Cash Bail and Bonds
These reports highlight the injustice of the cash bail system. People with money get out of jail; people without money may have to wait for months if they do not have access to bail bonds. Bail of $5,000 or even $2,000 is far out of reach for many men and women. The service fee for a bail bond generally is 10 percent of the cash bail, bringing the number down into the realm of possibility. Friends and family might be willing to chip in to come up with the $200 or $500 for County Bonds in Midwest City. Also, many agencies accept installments.
The Need for Quick Release
Bonding agencies commonly provide 24 hour Available Service because the agents know how quickly a low-income person’s life can unravel if there are delays with pretrial release. Even if this individual is married or has a domestic partner, that person may be unable to pay the rent without the partner’s income. The defendant may be terminated from work if several days are missed in a row.
Sadly, some men and women spend weeks in jail and then the prosecution drops the charges or a judge dismisses the case. They are not reimbursed for their lost wages or the fee for the bail bond.
The Setting of Bail
Sometimes bail is automatically set on a schedule that lists the more frequent nonviolent offenses. In other instances, a judge sets bail at a hearing, commonly within 48 hours after the arrest takes place. As soon as the defendant learns the amount of bail, it’s time to contact an organization like Advise Bail Bonds for assistance.
