Bounty hunters, also known as bail enforcement officials, track down and arrest people 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 will await trial.
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How Much Do Bounty Hunters Earn?
[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 professional services, bounty hunters will typically get ten or twenty percent of the bond or bail sum as payment and they gain an annual income that is within the range of $50,000 to $80,000. Because there have been several individuals who ignore trials, the line of work is looking for more personnel. Those bounty hunters with official certification and working experience will have the most job opportunities open to them.
What Does A Bail Enforcement Agent Undertake?
When a person is arrested for a criminal offense he is taken into police custody. Once in police custody, he will be booked and his case will be delivered to a prosecutor who will choose which charges will be laid against the arrested person. Before the trial, the prosecutor will have enough time to lay charges. In a few states, this period is 72 hrs and in others, it’s 48 hrs. After charges have been set, the defendant is brought before the court. The defendant will know the charges filed against him or her from the prosecutor.
The judge will consult whether the defendant pleas guilty or not guilty. Once a plea has been reached, the presiding judge, depending on the crime the accused is involved in, may allow the defendant to leave police custody in return for bail. This benefits both the legal system and the accused since it liberates the legal system from the expense of housing defendants, while simultaneously permitting defendants to go out of police custody while they wait for their trial. One may also find bail as a merit for those who do not slip trial dates.
The sum of bail provided by the judge could be hundreds of thousand dollars. It is therefore not really a surprise when clients are struggling to cover their bail themselves. A bondsman will compensate the bail for the accused in this instance. If the accused shows up at his court dates his bail will be refunded. Nevertheless, if the defendant prefers not to show up or misses his court date the court seizes his bail and issues a warrant for his arrest.
To prevent giving up his money, a bondsman may get a bounty hunter to trace, arrest, and bring the defendant back into law enforcement custody. The duties of the bounty hunters include interviewing, researching, and more so that they will find who they are searching for. While they are at it, they still need to remember to comply with the policies of the state.
States such as Washington need bounty hunters to get “reasonable cause” to think that a fugitive is currently within a building before coming into privately owned property. They have to confide with the police officials if they need to enter a private property. If the bounty hunter is in Virginia, he will have to make a 24 hour notice in advance and a 60 minute notice after the arrest.
Ways 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"]Some states require bounty hunters to get a license to operate within that state. While other states are not too demanding, some states are eager on letting bounty hunters do their work as long as they adhere to the law. Some states restrict bounty hunting on the whole. Before becoming a bounty hunter, one must find out how the job and the work is accepted in the state they live in.
What Is Needed To Become One?
Candidates planning to become bounty hunters must also fulfill other prerequisites. There will be an examination and a history check for their criminal records. They should be a citizen of the U.S. and should be a resident of the state they wish to function in. A legitimate driver’s license must be presented. There is a need for the person to be clean from any criminal offense, be it minor or major. The age requirement for applicants depends on the state’s law; some need at least 18 years old, while others require at least 21 years old. But most importantly, they should undergo considerable training. Potential bounty hunters will be granted a chance to head to an academy or training center by the state. Besides the physical training, they’ll also be taught the various policies for a bounty hunter in the state. There are specific courses for the work, which some states will require the applicant to accomplish.
Prerequisites In Education
Bounty hunting may only work in the state considering the hunter will follow the laws, which is why there’s a need to know the laws of the state before being hired. States like Washington require bounty hunters to possess “reasonable cause” to think that a fugitive is currently inside a building before entering private property. Before entering, they need to let the law enforcement officials of the state be aware. In Virginia, bounty hunters are needed to give authorities notice 24 hrs prior to an arrest and 60 minutes after making the arrest. Application of the training will be next; this is known as the apprenticeship stage.
Credentials And License
After training is completed, several states require candidates to first get a license before they can work as bounty hunters. A licensure examination on the laws of the state will happen. Prerequisites may vary in different states but the common ones are at least 18 or 21 years old, clear of any felonies, and a completed apprenticeship. Several states will provide a license to people who have law enforcement backgrounds. As soon as a bounty hunter becomes licensed he will be able to work freely within the state that awarded him his license.