For these criminal defendants, bail criminalizes poverty and illness. That is, individuals with the means to hire bail bondmen are able to be released from jail until trial. The people without funds to hire bail bondsman services must remain in prison until they are tried.
This happens because bail bondsmen require three things to write bonds:
Fee: Bail bond agents typically charge a 10% fee to write an agreement. for a bond that is $5,000 they charge $500. If the defendant or the defendant’s family does not have the money to pay fees, the bail bondsman cannot sign the bond.
Co-signers are required by bail bond companies. This gives the bail bondsman an opportunity to pursue your case if you fail to attend any of the court times. It is unlikely that the bail bondsman will make a bond for you with no cosigner that is willing to sign for the release.
Collateral can be the biggest obstacle to finding a bail bail. If you’re unable to attend court, either your cosigner, or you have to provide collateral. Bail bondsmen will take the bond payment or take you back to jail if you don’t attend the court. The collateral will be sold to cover your bail if you miss court. Bail agencies typically take all kinds of collateral such as the title to a vehicle, cash, property deeds, firearms jewellery, and other important property.
Most of the time, the defendant isn’t able to secure a bail. In these circumstances, bail funds can help supplement the services of bail bondsmen.
What are the Bail Funds’ Functions?
Bail fund funds are charitable institutions that have funds on reserve and can issue bail bonds. In the case of the Massachusetts Bail Fund, the charity offers grants of $1,000 to aid in bail payments. dp1lw24wn5.