Bounty hunters, also called bail enforcement officers, track down and arrest individuals who have been released from police custody on bail, but who have failed to attend their court dates. When individuals miss their trial while out on bail, they become fugitives of the law. Fugitives are arrested by bounty hunters and returned to police custody where they’ll await trial.
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How Much Do Bounty Hunters Make?
[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"]In exchange for their services, bounty hunters will typically obtain ten or twenty percent of the bond or bail amount as payment and they generate an annual salary that is within the range of $50,000 to $80,000. There is a high recruitment rate in this field due to the growing number of cases where individuals overlook court dates. Those who sign up for the work complete with papers can anticipate the highest chances of getting employed.
Bail Enforcement Agent Job Description
A criminal will be brought to the police station. The person will be taken to processing of information before a prosecutor could create a schedule on the court trial. There is time for the prosecutor to lay charges during the time in between the booking and the court date. The time it will take in general is 48-72 hours depending on the laws and regulations of state. After charges have been set, the accused is brought before the court. The trial will include the judge’s recitation of the prosecutor’s charges against the accused.
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 involved in, may allow the defendant to leave police custody in return for bail. This helps both the judicial system and the defendant because it liberates the judicial system from the expense of housing accused, while simultaneously allowing defendants to leave police custody while they wait for their trial. Those who attend their court dates can even give bail as their incentive.
The amount of bail given by the judge could be hundreds of thousand dollars. Bail is not usually 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. There is a refund of the bail when the defendant attends the court date. If the person overlooks the schedule and does not make an appearance, the bail will be dropped in exchange for a warrant of arrest.
To avoid losing his money, a bondsman may employ a bounty hunter to find, arrest, and bring the defendant back into law enforcement custody. The works of the bounty hunters include interviewing, researching, and more so that they will find who they are searching for. But while doing their duties, bounty hunters must strictly adhere to laws and regulations placed by the state.
Some states like Washington needs bounty hunters to get adequate reason before coming into a private facility. They are also required to tell law enforcement officials that they are going to enter that property. There is a need for 24 hour notices before stepping into a private property in Virginia but when the arrest is completed, a report should be filed in an hour.
Means 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"]Other states in the United States authorize bounty hunters providing they have the proper credentials and license. Other states don’t have such a prerequisite, but in these states, there are strict statutes in place that control the practice of bounty hunting. A number of states, however, have restricted the practice of bounty hunting completely. Because the licensure procedure and requirements vary from state to state, it’s important that anyone wishing to become a bounty hunter first gain idea of what his state needs.
Minimum Requirements
Candidates wishing to become bounty hunters should also meet other requirements. There will be an examination and a background check for their criminal records. A U.S. citizenship is required, together with proof that the individual is a resident of the state. The driver’s license should be renewed and valid. There is a need for the person to be clean from any criminal offense, be it minor or major. In other states, candidates could be 18 years of age, while some states need them to be at least 21 years old. Training is the most important part of applying for the job. Several states need potential bounty hunters to participate in an academy or community training college. The training won’t just be physical but also intellectual because these facilities will also show you the laws and techniques to become an excellent bounty hunter in the state. There are states which demand candidates to accomplish some courses on the field.
Academic Requirements
Bounty hunting may only operate in the state providing the hunter will follow the laws, which is why there is a need to learn the laws of the state before being hired. States like Washington need bounty hunters to possess “reasonable cause” to believe that a fugitive is presently inside a building before entering privately owned property. They are also required to notify police officers that they are planning to enter that property. A 24-hour notice to the officials prior to doing the work in the state is required; after the arrest is done, the hunter is given 60-minutes to send information to the same office. Application of the training will be next; this is known as the apprenticeship stage.
Certification And Licensure
There are states that will require 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 specifications include a clean criminal history, an age that is at least 18 or 21 depending on the state they reside in, finished training programs, clean criminal records,and a completed apprenticeship program. Some states will provide a license to those who have law enforcement backgrounds. A license will permit the bounty hunter to proceed to work in the state that gave her or him the license.