Bounty hunters, also called bail enforcement officers, track down and arrest people who have been released from law enforcement custody on bail, but who’ve failed to attend their court dates. Those who cannot attend their trial dates commit wrong against the law. They’re to be brought back by bounty hunters into the station so that they can attend another trial.
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What is the salary of Bounty Hunters?
[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 bounty hunter takes a salary somewhere between $50,000 to $80,000 annually in addition to the ten or twenty percent of the bail. Since there have been several people who ignore trials, the field is looking for more employees. Those bounty hunters with formal certification and working experience will get the most job opportunities open to them.
What Does A Bail Enforcement Agent Do?
The police bring a person who committed a criminal offense in the station and hold them there. Once in police custody, he will be booked and his case will be brought to a prosecutor who will decide which charges will be placed against the arrested individual. Prosecutors have a certain amount of time after booking takes place in which they should place charges. Time may differ in various states but they usually take 48 to 72 hours. After charges have been set, the accused is introduced before the court. The trial will involve the judge’s recitation of the prosecutor’s charges against the defendant.
The accused will then be asked to make a plea of guilty or not guilty. Once a plea has been made, the presiding judge, depending on the crime the defendant is charged with, may allow the defendant to leave police custody in exchange for bail. This benefits both the judicial system and the defendant because it liberates the legal system from the expense of housing offenders, while concurrently permitting accused to leave law enforcement custody while they await their trial. Those who attend their court dates can even give bail as their incentive.
The bail could be hundreds of thousands of dollars based on the charges. Bail is not usually paid because not everyone could afford it. A bondsman will compensate the bail for the defendant in this instance. If the accused attends 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 engaged when he bondsman learns the defendant won’t be able to pay back the amount of money because he or she failed to show up at the court. The duties of the bounty hunters include interviewing, investigating, and more so that they will find who they are searching for. While they are at it, they still have to remember to comply with the regulations of the state.
States such as Washington need bounty hunters to have “reasonable cause” to believe that a fugitive is presently within a premise before entering private property. They are also needed to inform law enforcement officials that they are preparing to enter that property. In Virginia, bounty hunters are required to provide police officers notice 24 hrs prior to an arrest and 60 minutes after making 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 need bounty hunters to have a license to operate within that state. Other states do not have such a requirement, but in these states, there are demanding statutes in place that regulate the practice of bounty hunting. Some states forbid bounty hunting on the whole. If an individual wishes to become a bounty hunter, he or she needs to learn the rules of the states regarding the job and the work.
The Prerequisites
Candidates planning to be bounty hunters should accomplish other requirements, as well. They should go through an inspection of their criminal background and they will also take a test. Proof that the individual is a resident of the state and a U.S. citizen is required, as well. They must have a legitimate driver’s license. They should not have committed a felony or misdemeanor. In other states, candidates could be 18 years of age, while some states need them to be at least 21 years of age. But most importantly, they should go through extensive training. Prospective bounty hunters will be granted an opportunity to go to an academy or training center by the state. The training won’t only be physical but also intellectual because these facilities will also teach you the laws and tactics to become an effective bounty hunter in the state. There are states which demand applicants to complete some courses on the field.
Academic Requirements
Bounty hunting may only work in the state considering the hunter will follow the laws, which is why there is a need to master the laws of the state before being hired. There are states like Washington, which requires bounty hunters “reasonable cause” before they can get into the private property and conduct their work. The police officials need to know this before the hunter could get into the building. 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 called the apprenticeship stage.
License And Certification
After training is done, a few states require candidates to first get a license before they could function as bounty hunters. To get this license, candidates must take and pass a licensing exam, that will cover the laws of the state. Requirements may vary in various states but the common ones are at least 18 or 21 years of age, clear of any felonies, and a completed apprenticeship. In addition to these prerequisites, several states might also require that candidates have a background in law enforcement before they can acquire a license. A license may only authorize the bounty hunter to accomplish his work without prohibition in the state he applied for.