Bounty hunters, also called bail enforcement officers, trace and arrest people who have been released from law enforcement custody on bail, but who have failed to attend their court dates. People who cannot attend their trial dates commit wrong against the law. They are to be brought back by bounty hunters into the station so that they could attend another trial.
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How much are you paid as a Bounty Hunter?
[campusexplorer header_text="START YOUR FIREFIGHTER JOURNEY" intro_text="Fill The Form Below To Get Admissions Info From Local Schools" aos="41826B55" concentration="F3205941" is_lightbox="1" lightbox_btn_text="CLICK HERE TO BEGIN YOUR FIREFIGHTER JOURNEY"]Apart from the ten to twenty percent share on the bond, a bounty hunter receives $50,000 to $80,000 annually. There is a high recruitment rate in this line of work because of the growing number of cases where individuals disregard court dates. Credentials will be needed from those who apply because it will provide them more likelihood of becoming employed.
What Does A Bail Enforcement Agent Do?
A criminal will be brought to the police station. The person will be brought to processing of records before a prosecutor could create a schedule on the court trial. There is time for the prosecutor to lay charges during the time period in between the booking and the court date. Time may vary in different states but they typically take 48 to 72 hours. After charges have been set, the defendant is brought before the court. The accused will be aware of charges filed against him or her from the judge.
The defendant will then have to make a plea of guilty or not guilty. Once a plea has been made, the presiding judge, based on the crime the defendant is charged with, may permit the defendant to leave police custody in exchange for bail. It is good for both parties since it keeps the expenses of the authorities from increasing and it also provides the defendant freedom until their trial. Bail also acts as an incentive for accused to go to their trial.
The bail could be hundreds of thousands of dollars based on the charges. Bail is not always settled because not everyone could find the money for it. This is where the bondsman will come in to cover the bail for the accused. If the defendant shows up at his court dates his bail will be refunded. Failure to participate in the trial will end up with a warrant of arrest without bail.
Bounty hunter services are hired when he bondsman learns the accused will not be able to pay back the amount of money because he or she didn’t show up at the court. Bounty hunters will invest much of their time conducting interviews, studying their target, and performing surveillance while tracking down a fugitive. While they are at it, they still have to remember to follow the policies of the state.
States such as Washington require bounty hunters to get “reasonable cause” to think that a fugitive is currently within a building before getting into private property. They are also expected to inform law enforcement officials that they are about to get into that property. If the bounty hunter is in Virginia, he will have to make a 24 hour notice beforehand and a 60 minute notice following the arrest.
How To Become A Bounty Hunter
[campusexplorer header_text="START YOUR FIREFIGHTER JOURNEY" intro_text="Fill The Form Below To Get Admissions Info From Local Schools" aos="41826B55" concentration="F3205941" is_lightbox="1" lightbox_btn_text="CLICK HERE TO BEGIN YOUR FIREFIGHTER JOURNEY"]A few states require bounty hunters to have a license to operate within that state. Other states do not have such a prerequisite, but in these states, there are strict statutes in place that regulate the practice of bounty hunting. A number of states, however, have restricted the practice of bounty hunting completely. If an individual wants to become a bounty hunter, he or she has to know the rules of the states about the job and the work.
Minimum Prerequisites
There are other requirements that soon to be bounty hunters must submit. There will be a test and a background check for their criminal records. They have to be a citizen of the U.S. and should be a resident of the state they would like to operate in. A valid driver’s license must be shown. It is vital that they have not made any minor or major crimes. Some states require applicants to at least be 18 years of age while others need applicants to be at least 21. But most importantly, they must go through considerable training. Potential bounty hunters will be given a chance to head to an academy or training center by the state. Besides the physical training, they will also be guided on the different policies for a bounty hunter in the state. There are states which need applicants to accomplish a few courses on the field.
Education Prerequisites
To be hired in bounty hunting, it is important that the person finds out the laws of the state in the matter so that no illegal actions are made during the process. The state of Washington does not allow the bounty hunters to get into a privately owned property without providing the most appropriate reason why the fugitive is inside. The police officials have to know this before the hunter could enter the property. A 24-hour notice to the officials prior to performing the job in the state is needed; after the arrest is done, the hunter is provided 60-minutes to send information to the same office. Application of the training will be next; this is called the apprenticeship stage.
Accreditations And License
There are states that will need bounty hunters a license after they complete the training for the field. To receive this license, candidates should take and pass a licensing exam, that will cover the laws of the state. Other prerequisites include a clean criminal record, an age that is at least 18 or 21 depending on the state they reside in, completed training courses, clean criminal records,and a completed apprenticeship program. Other states will need the applicant experience in the law enforcement to earn a license. As soon as a bounty hunter becomes licensed he’ll be able to work freely within the state that awarded him his license.