Advocates for bail reform say the system needs a complete overhaul, since it so strongly favors middle-class and wealthy defendants as compared with low-income men and women, and those living in poverty. Defendants who cannot afford cash bail and do not have enough collateral can pay a bail bondsman in Alameda County CA to post a surety bond that allows them to release from jail.
In Jail Without a Conviction
A bail bondsman in Alameda County CA has an important role in the U.S. justice system. In this system, U.S. citizens charged with a crime are supposed to be considered innocent before they are found guilty or confess to guilt. Without the help of a bondsman, low-income defendants would have to stay in jail for days, weeks or even months before their trial date. A significant percentage of jail inmates have never been convicted of a criminal offense. They are simply waiting for their day in court.
The Risk of Losing It All
Defendants trapped behind bars in this situation are at risk of losing nearly everything important to them. They are likely to become depressed and even suicidal. Their friends and relatives may salvage the person’s belongings from an apartment that must be given up, but there’s no way to save that home or the person’s job. As the days pass, this person feels more hopeless and alone.
Plea Bargains
That kind of situation can compel a defendant to ask a lawyer to negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecuting attorney. Even if this man or woman is innocent, waiting in jail any longer is intolerable. The individual may be released on strict probation that will last for years, but at least he or she is out, albeit with a criminal record that may not be deserved.
A Possible Future
With advocates continuing to push for reform in a system that is so unbalanced for society, it’s possible that conditional release will one day be handled entirely differently. Ankle bracelets that monitor the person out on bail is an example of how some jurisdictions are starting to manage this. In the meantime, defendants rely on organizations like Angela Maxwell Bail Bonds to regain their freedom.
