Driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances is one of the most severe types of vehicle violations resulting due to the number of accident related fatalities which occur from operation a moving vehicle under impaired conditions. So what happens when you get pulled over while you have been driving under the influence?
Police DUI Field Test:
If you are pulled over by a police officer and they have reason to suspect that you may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a preliminary field test is conducted to determine if an individual is capable of operating their moving vehicle. Initially a law enforcement agent will conduct a “field sobriety test” which consists of testing coordination and possible impairment effects on the driver. This will typically require tests of balance, such as “walking the line”, standing on one foot or walking and turning. Secondly the driver’s comprehension ability is tested through simple tests of following directions. These can range from repeating one’s alphabet using a range the officer selects to ensure simple repetition cannot prevail. Finally the vision ability of the driver may be tested to determine if they are capable enough to respond to changes in light effectively and avoid distraction from vision blurriness.
After the initial field sobriety test has been conducted it the officer will in most cases require the driver to submit to a breathalyzer test. This consists of having a person breathe deeply into a device which calculates a person’s blood alcohol content or BAC. If a person is over 0.08% they will be arrested for a DUI.
Can I still get arrested if I’m under 0.08%?
Yes. The 0.08% is a threshold limit meaning that any breathalyzer over this amount results in an immediate arrest. Despite this, if an individual fails the preliminary field test and passes the breathalyzer they can still be arrested for driving impaired. Since alcohol can affect people of different body types and tolerances differently it is still possible to be legally impaired below the legal limit. In addition, any motorists under the age of 21 are unable to have any percentage of BAC while operating a motor vehicle.
What is the legal limit?
The legal blood alcohol content limit in most states is %0.08 which had been severely reduced since the 1980’s during a push for stricter drinking and driving laws. Prior to the 80s the limit was between 0.10% and 0.15% however due to the number of fatalities this had to be regulated more heavily. For commercial drivers the limit is much lower at 0.04% in most states.
Can I refuse a breathalyzer?
Yes it is always possible to refuse submission of a breathalyzer test, however this is generally not a very good idea. Refusing this test is considered failure to comply with a law enforcement agent which will result in the driver’s detention pending a further investigation. The motorist will be taken to the police station and booked followed by a blood test to determine what their blood alcohol content is. Although refusal to submit to a breathalyzer test is possible this should be avoided at all costs because it tends to still end in an arrest and a judge will have less sympathy for a defendant that fails to comply with law enforcement agents.
Can you post bail for a DUI?
Yes, DUI arrests are typically allowed to post bail after their booking however they will usually have to spend the night in sobriety holding. When posting a bail bond for DUI arrests it can be done directly to the courts for the full amount of the bail set which will typically be refunded after the trial’s conclusion, or it can be processed through a bondsman which would result in a lower expense paid by the defendant however no refund will be provided with the lower bond amount.
The Trayvon Martin case is one which has made national and some international headlines due the nature of the crime and the local law specific to the State of Florida “stand your ground” which allowed the defendant in this case, George Zimmerman, to remain free after shooting and killing a 17 year old African American boy. The case in its self, although tragic, would most likely not have made national headlines if it were not due to the freedom that was provided to George Zimmerman via Florida’s “stand your ground law” after his admittance to shooting an unarmed underage boy.
Although initially this case was seen as being insensitive to the greater African American community the American public was soon enlightened of the quirky loophole potential of this law. Many are still outraged by the way the police initially handled the case. But not all things are going in George Zimmerman’s favor as it may appear to the public. After being released on $150,000 bail set by the judge in Sanford, Florida the decision has been re-analyzed and the judge has decided to revoke the bail bond provided by George Zimmerman.
Why was George Zimmerman’s bond revoked?
When the initial bail amount was set by the judge during the bond hearing a financial analysis was conducted on George Zimmerman who along with his wife claimed they were penniless at the time. Due to this claim the bond amount was set lower than normal to the $150,000 that was paid by the Zimmerman couple. Afterwards, this amount was paid almost immediately leading the judge along with prosecutors to suspect there may be some foul play involved. After the decision to conduct an investigation into this issue the State Attorney who is assisting in prosecuting this case found her suspicions were confirmed through the phone calls made by George Zimmerman while he was in jail.
Material Falsehood:
George Zimmerman was found to be using coded language to mask his discussions with his wife Shelly Zimmerman relating to transferring money they had received from a fund raising website that was setup shortly after his initial detention. This behavior is classified as “material falsehood” which allows the judge in the case to re-analyze the defendant’s eligibility to post bail for their trial. Due to the deceit displayed in the initial hearing the judge made the decision to revoke the previous bail amount paid by the Zimmerman family.
In addition to this Shelly Zimmerman has been detained for her involvement in the deceitful information provided and she has been charged with perjury for lying to the judge about their finances prior to posting bail. Compounding on the lies told to the court, it was discovered that George Zimmerman had a second passport (seeing as he had to give up his passport temporarily while out on bond). Zimmerman’s lawyer, Mark O’Mara, is claiming responsibility for not turning in George’s second passport in a timely manner.
Case built on credibility:
Since the basis of the defense’s argument in this case is relying on the credibility of the defendant’s testimony in conjunction with the “stand your ground” law combined with the potential flight risk of a suspect out on bail with a valid passport it was determined that George’s bail should be revoked to ensure a consistent trial. The outcome of the combination of these factors is likely to directly affect the manner in which his defense approaches this trial as well as the possibility of how jurors may portray the defendant after learning of this news.
Luckily enough, George Zimmerman most likely posted a cash bond directly to the court as opposed to posting a surety bond with a bail bondsman who would’ve most likely absorbed the loss of this bond in this instance. This could have been a costly mistake for an Orlando bail bonds agency.
Bail habits change with crime rate decline.
Los Angeles is a city which had some of the worst gang violence in the nation throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. Los Angeles has been known as the city with the largest gang violence rate in the nation with New York City as the only comparable second despite being a drastically larger city in terms of population. Los Angeles is the only city in the nation where gang related violence is more predominant in murders than in drug offenses. California in general is linked to a large number of gangs and crimes that occur related to these gang infrastructures. A study in 2008 stated that the five most gang infested cities are Los Angeles, Oakland, Long Beach (within Los Angeles County), Newark and Oklahoma City.
Throughout the mid 1990’s Los Angeles was a city where gang murders dominated the headlines and police chases were such a frequent occurrence that they regularly interrupted after school cartoons with breaking news reports of another high speed chase. It was believed by many that the city could not recover from the level of violence that occurred throughout this era. One murder would often stir up retaliation between gangs leading to feuds that could persist for several months and in some cases up to several years.
In the early years of 1991, 1992, and 1993 over 1,000 citizens of the City of Los Angeles were murdered annually with the majority of these being directly related to gang retaliation and innocent citizens gunned down in gang crossfire. This led police to begin developing smarter law enforcement tactics which has coined the term “data-driven law enforcement”. It was realized by law enforcement agencies that the majority of violent crimes which occurred were classified as repressible crimes which could be prevented by increased patrols and policing habits.
With the realization that data and enhanced tactics could curb a large portion of crimes the Los Angeles police department in conjunction with other supporting law enforcement agencies have began setting an example to the nation on how to clean up crime ridden streets. So what are some of the factors that helped to decrease the rate of crimes among gangs in Los Angeles?
Community Programs:
Community programs were an integral part of the law enforcement officials in Los Angeles County. Gang activity is typically territory oriented which tends to effect specific communities. In many cases gangs would employ fear and intimidation tactics to dissuade members of the community from reporting crimes or providing information to the police department. In many gang ridden areas the communities did not trust law enforcement agents so community outreach programs were put in place to help mend the trust relations between police departments and communities.
Additionally community programs have been implemented within the prison systems in the State of California that help to rehabilitate gang members. One of the most difficult challenges law enforcement agents face is attempting to dissuade a paroled gang member from joining back up with their old associates. Previously there were no intervention methods or help for a former gang member to provide the support they needed to leave their gang lifestyle behind. Many of these individuals grew up within a gang culture from a very young age and are not accustomed to how citizens properly act within society.
Revised Legislation:
Another method used by law enforcement agencies in conjunction with state political and judicial agencies was the passing of legislation to increase sentences for gang related crimes, repeat offenders and specific crimes. One of the most known uses of this was with the passage of California’s 3 Strike Law in 1994. This law was proposed in State Legislation and was voted into the state by its citizens. The law would be further amended in 2000 in California’s Proposition 36 where drug related offenses should prioritize rehabilitation programs over life sentences for drug addicts convicted of non violent offenses.
Data Driven Investigations:
The use of technology and data has significantly increased the effectiveness of law enforcement personnel. Both national and statewide databases have been developed in attempts to link unsolved crimes and patterns of violence. This has allowed police officers to intervene on more and more crimes before they occur or while they are in progress as opposed to investigating these after they occur. Additionally gang databases have allowed increased interception of drug shipments and the dismantling of the financial structures of sophisticated organized crime syndicates.
Changes in bail bond habits:
With the decrease in crime rate since the mid 1990’s there has also been a significant change in bail bonds consumer habits which reflect an interesting insight into some of the issues cities like Los Angeles face. Prior to 1996 the most commonly used bond type was a property bond or a bond of other asset value, however with the decrease in crime rates the bail bonds industry has seen a decline in this particular bond type. The most frequently used bail bond now is the surety bond which has gained popularity after the passing of stricter legislation and a decrease in overall crime in Los Angeles. From this trend one can infer that the families of individuals facing criminal trials are less likely to put property or other valuable assets up as collateral to bail their loved ones out of jail.
Overcrowded Prison System in Cuba
Cuba is a country which is severely limited to not only western media, but the outside world in general. It is one of the few countries left in the world that operates off a communist system and is also one of the most isolated nations outside North Korea. So when news was released by one of the state’s newspapers of the communist regime regarding the inmate population within Cuba it came as a surprise to most of the world.
The latest reports state that there are approximately 57,000 inmates currently serving time in jails or prisons throughout Cuba. This averages out to approximately 518 out of every 100,000 citizens of the island nation are currently in jail. Although this may seem like a large number of inmates it is actually less in terms of the percentages that are in prisons in the United States where we have approximately 730 out of every 100,000 citizens in prison.
Despite the numbers released by the communist newspaper “Ganma”, many still believe that these figures are actually greater than reported and range between 70,000 to 100,000 inmates. The state of the inmates is currently listed as improving, with approximately 23,000 of the 57,000, or 40%, of the inmate population currently holds jobs and receive pay for their work. The Cuban government has stated that they have a financial plan in effect to improve the infrastructure of their prison systems by 2017.
Interestingly enough, the latest reports also claim that Cuba’s main criminal problem is now lies in White Collar crimes which has been an increasing trend for the past decade. An approximated 10,000 inmates are currently being held for white collar crimes. Cuba’s release policy is also reported as being fairly lenient with an approximated 10,000 prisoners that were released this year so far. Of this figure 2,900 of the release were done as a New Year’s good will gesture.
Despite the results of these figures the problem with the living situation in Cuba’s jails is an aspect that needs great improvement. A UN hearing is scheduled to start in late May to investigate the use of cruel and unusual punishment as well as claims of torture. One of the aspects that has hampered Cuba is its inability to investigate the activities that occur at Guantanamo Bay from which Cuba’s government has received criticism for being unable to exercise their sovereignty over an area of their nation.
Video smuggled out by Cuban inmates
Several videos were released earlier this year which was smuggled out of prisons in Cuba documenting the poor conditions inmates are facing. The primary complaints by Cuban inmates are the lack of healthy food and poor quality of living conditions both factors which become exponentially unbearable with the overcrowded state of the current prisons.
The prison in question is the notorious Combinado del Este facility located just outside of Havana which is now under close watch by human rights organizations. Since the release of the ten video tapes which are believed to have been recorded throughout January Combinado del Este is considered to have one of the poorest sanitation in Latin America.
Benefits of Bail Bonds
Cuba is a nation that could benefit greatly from a service such as bail bonds to help alleviate some of their overcrowded prison conditions. Although bounty hunting is illegal in most countries throughout the world with the exception of the United States and Philippines bail bonds are a service which are offered in most first world nations to help grant the defendant a fair trial. Bail bondsmen provide a service not only to the public but they also assist judicial officials by assisting defendants in their acquisition of bail.
George Zimmerman, the defendant in the Trayvon Martin murder case who’s bail was previously revoked at $150,000 has been reinstated by the judge presiding over the trial at $1,000,000. The hearing took place in an Orlando, Florida courthouse earlier today in which the decision to reinstate Zimmmerman’s bail was concluded. Part of the reason why Zimmerman’s original bond was revoked was due to the fact that George and his wife Shellie lied about their financial status prior to the previous bond hearing lead the judge to believe that the defendant may be a potential flight risk. After a hearing today with the defense’s attorney stating the reasons why they were misleading previously the judge decided to reinstate the bail for Zimmerman at a significantly increased amount. The discretion to revoke a bail bond is one which can be made by the judge presiding over the trial.
Being a bondsman involves a considerable amount of risk however fatalities in the industry are relatively low. Unfortunately earlier this year two brothers were fatally shot while attempting to apprehend a fugitive in Bakersfield, California. The brothers were employed for their father’s bondsman agency. Neighbors saw a vehicle leave the scene shortly after the shooting and at this time it is believed that there are two suspects involved, one of which is the fugitive the bondsmen were sent to apprehend.
Violent crimes are classified in four categories consisting of murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Crime statistics are initially collected by individual police departments at the time a criminal defendant is booked at a police station however this data is collected and compiled nationally by the FBI in what is called the UCR (Universal Crime Reporting Program). This allows the nation and individual law enforcement agencies to assess how effective their tactics are working to combat particular crime types as well projecting crime trends to show where new strategies need to be employed.
Violent crimes have been on a downward trend overall for 2010 totaling at an estimated 1,246,248 reported violent crimes throughout the nation. Of the violent crimes reported during 2010 the largest majority occurred in aggravated assaults which made up for 62.5% followed by robberies which made up for 29.5% of the violent crimes reported. Rape was reported to make up 6.8% and lastly murder made up for 1.2% of the nation’s violent crime occurrences for the year.
Overall the nation’s number of violent crimes has decrease 6% from 2009 and has been on a steady decrease for the past 5 and 10 year comparisons. When referring to violent crimes, it is implied that a weapon is generally used to commit these offenses. As such statistics on the weapon type used in these crimes is recorded and published by the FBI with the exception of rape reports which do not record and publish statistics on the type of weapon used.
Firearms are of particular concern to law enforcement agents so data on weapons used in crimes and in specific regions of the nation are important to ensuring that our law enforcement agents are properly prepared for any situation they may encounter. Nationwide firearms were used in 67.5% of the nation’s murders, 41.4% of the nation’s robberies and 20.6% of the nation’s aggravated assaults.
Homicide Weapon Statistics:
67.5% of murders used a firearm.
13.1% of murders used a knife or cutting instrument.
13.6% of murders used an unknown or dangerous weapon.
5.8% of murders involved unarmed assailants.
Robbery Weapon Statistics:
41.4% of robberies occurred using a firearm.
7.9% of robberies occurred using a knife or cutting instrument.
8.8% of robberies occurred using other weapon types.
42.0% of robberies were classified as “strong-arm” robberies.
Assault Weapon Statistics:
20.6% of aggravated assaults occurred using a firearm.
19.0% of aggravated assaults occurred using a knife or cutting instrument.
33.1% of aggravated assaults occurred using other weapons (clubs, blunt, etc).
27.4% of assaults were reported by unarmed assailants.
These statistics are further broken up to indicate weapon percentages which occurred in generalized areas of the country typically consisting of the Northeast, Midwest, West and South. The data collected in these reports can help fuel legislation such as gun control laws, concealed weapon laws and police search and seizure laws for particular states.
Northeastern United States:
Firearm stats:
64.4% in homicides reported, 33.4% in robberies reported, 14.9% in assaults reported.
Knife and cutting instrument stats:
16.5% in homicides reported, 10.2% in robberies reported, 22.4% in assaults reported.
Other weapons (blunt, unknown) stats:
14.5% in homicides reported, 8.6% in robberies reported, 34.2% in assaults reported.
Unarmed stats:
4.6% in homicides reported, 47.7% in robberies reported, 28.4% in assaults reported.
Midwestern United States:
Firearm stats:
71.9% in homicides reported, 45.0% in robberies reported, 23.6% in assaults reported.
Knife and cutting instrument stats:
8.7% in homicides reported, 5.4% in robberies reported, 17.1% in assaults reported.
Other weapons (blunt, unknown) stats:
14.1% in homicides reported, 9.2% in robberies reported, 29.5% in assaults reported.
Unarmed stats:
5.3% in homicides reported, 40.3% in robberies reported, 29.8% in assaults reported.
Western United States:
Firearm stats:
65.0% in homicides reported, 31.8% in robberies reported, 17.5% in assaults reported.
Knife and cutting instrument stats:
14.9% in homicides reported, 9.1% in robberies, 17.4% in assaults.
Other weapons (blunt, unknown) stats:
13.6% in homicides, 9.4% in robberies, 34.0% in assaults.
Unarmed stats:
6.6% in homicides, 49.7% in robberies, 31.1% in assaults.
Southern United States:
Firearm stats:
68.1% in homicides, 49.5% in robberies, 17.5% in assaults reported.
Knife and cutting instrument stats:
12.8% in homicides, 7.0% in robberies, 17.4% in assaults.
Other weapons (blunt, unknown) stats:
13.0% in homicides, 8.2% in robberies, 34.0% in assaults.
Unarmed stats:
6.1% in homicides, 35.3% in robberies, 31.1% in assaults.
Bail Bonds Guys is a Los Angeles Bail Bonds company dedicated to providing the best information on the bail bonds industry.
Bail Bonds Information
When a person is arrested for a crime they will typically be allowed to post bail with the court in order to be released from custody pending the outcome of the trial. This is commonly referred to as posting bail, however there are actually a variety of methods to post bail. In some states the courts may accept bail payments directly. This is a recent occurrence which is a part of the legislation restrictions and crack downs on commercial bail bonds agencies.
What happens after I’m arrested?
If you have been arrested for committing a crime the first thing that happens is you are taken to the local police station or jail and booked in for the arrest. During the booking process your finger prints will be taken along with a photograph and other personal information may be collected. Next you will be placed in a holding cell where you will have to await a hearing with a judge regarding your trial. Unfortunately, for individuals arrested on a Friday or over the weekend, it is most likely inevitable that you will remain in holding until Monday when the next judge is available to preside over your case.
After your hearing has been scheduled with a judge you will be transported to the court house typically in a bus or van where you a trial date will be set for your case. During this preliminary hearing the judge will typically offer you the opportunity to post bail in order to secure your release pending the outcome of the trial. Depending on the nature and severity of the crime committed, combined with the individual’s previous criminal history, the option to post bail may be denied by a judge all together.
Bail Schedule
The judge bases their bail amount off of the Bail Schedule which is a document produced annually in each county to create a guideline for bail amounts for various crimes within the county. Ultimately the judge’s discretion will determine the amount the defendant’s bail will be set at, however the Bail Schedule guidelines provide the minimum and maximum bail costs for particular crimes.
Bail Bondsman
If you are afforded the option to post bail it will typically be processed through a bail bondsman or bail bonds agent. In most states a bail bondsman is not allowed to determine the price they are charging however they receive 10% of the bail amount as a result of their services. In states like California this value is set in stone and can only be lowered to 8% depending on the client’s affiliation with organizations such as the military, credit unions, school districts or law attorneys. A bail bondsman is not allowed to offer coupons, credit or other incentives to utilize their services outside of this 2% reduction for affiliation.
After a defendant has been released on bail they are not free of the charges filed against them. They are still required to appear to all of their court dates and may be sentenced to jail after the trial’s conclusion depending on its outcome. Failure to appear in court when on bail results in a warrant for the defendant’s arrest for FTA or failure to appear.
Skipping Court Dates
If an individual skips a court date after they are released on bail the responsibility to ensure they appear in court is on the bail bondsman and the defendant. The bondsman will not receive their commission until the trial is concluded and the defendant is sentenced or cleared of charges. As a result the bail bonds company will typically contract a bounty hunter to apprehend the bail jumper in order to ensure their appearance in court and trial conclusion.
How do bail bondsmen make money?
A bail bondsman basically makes their money as an interest or commission in processing a defendant’s bail paperwork. If cash is paid up front to the courthouse this cash is returned to the defendant after the trial. With a bondsman they are essentially charging the defendant the 10% commission only and footing the complete cost of the bail amount. When the trial concludes they are refunded the full bail amount they keep the 10% supplied by the defendant which is how a bail bonds company gets paid for their services.
Stay safe when going out with 5 easy tips.
Getting arrested is an event most do not plan for and can be an inconvenience not only for the person in trouble but their loved ones as well. For someone who likes to go out to clubs or bars knowing what to avoid and how to plan ahead can save time, money and a hard earned life lesson.
Know your destination!
When traveling to a club or a bar it is sometimes necessary to travel out of your normal area of comfort. You may be unfamiliar with streets, freeways and navigation in the city of your event. Some areas may not be safe or harbor gang activity which is information which allows better judgment during your evening such as selecting an appropriate parking spot and how to dress.
Areas with higher crime rates will tend to have more police activity as well. Knowing the level of police activity in an area can help to avoid getting in trouble by the law as well as a general assessment for the dangers of the general area.
Counties and cities within the same state often have varying laws. For example receiving a speeding ticket in your home city may result in an online traffic school course however receiving the same ticket in a different county may require your appearance in a courthouse in the county the ticket was received.
Don’t drink and drive!
One of the most common ways to get yourself in trouble quickly is by drinking and driving. Not only will drinking and driving lead to a criminal arrest it is an action that endangers the lives of others. Avoiding drunk drivers is a challenge that everyone faces however for an individual who is traveling to an event that servers alcoholic beverages it is almost guaranteed that an encounter with a drunk driver will occur.
Reading the news paper to before you travel can help determine if there are any sobriety checkpoints and where these may be located. Knowing where a checkpoint is setup can provide useful for a driver who wishes to avoid drunk drivers. Areas where checkpoints are setup are typically choke points between an area known for drinking and the freeways. These are typically setup in a strategic manner by trained law enforcement agents where a higher rate of drunk drivers are expected. Avoiding these general areas during holidays or weekends will help to minimize the risk of encountering a drunk driver.
Avoid fighting and confrontation!
Alcohol is known to bring about violence and irrational behavior in individuals who over indulge in this beverage. Fights are commonplace in an environment where alcohol fuels the primary form of entertainment for a large group of people. Avoiding confrontation is the best way to minimize the risk of getting in a fight with someone at a bar or club which can result in serious injury or criminal charges regardless of the outcome of the confrontation.
If an individual appears to be overly intoxicated it is a good idea to avoid the situation all together. Moving to another location can resolve this typically and distancing yourself from a belligerent individual is the best way to avoid an argument. This goes hand in hand of course with moderating your own alcohol consumption to ensure that you are not the belligerent individual in a social setting.
Read street signs!
Staying aware of your surroundings is one of the best ways to avoid trouble from a general standpoint. When driving in an unfamiliar city reading the street signs can avoid trouble with law enforcement agents. Committing a vehicle violation in a construction zone results in increased rates usually to the tune of three times higher. Maintaining awareness of general traffic signs such as speed limits, allowable turns at intersections, and zoning notifications (school, construction, etc…) allows a driver to avoid being pulled over by a police officer and harming others.
Manage your budget!
A common arrest in cities that have bar districts is one which may not be as apparent as some may think: the dine and dash! This does not only refer to skipping out on a restaurant bill but applies to bars and taxis as well. As funny as it may sound skipping out on a taxi fair is an arrest that occurs frequently. Ironically this can be avoided easily enough by simply being responsible and managing your budget.
Abiding by a few simple rules and applying some planning and foresight to an outing can ultimately result in avoiding an arrest or dangerous situations. Arrests can ruin careers, relationships, lifestyles and lives along with irresponsible behavior. Arrests are costly and typically result in a family member having to contact a bail bondsman on your behalf to post bail which adds stress on your loved ones as well. Learning how to avoid trouble more efficiently results in a better quality of life for an individual that engages in cautious behavior.
Fugitive Hunting Strategies
The primary job of a bounty hunter is to locate and apprehend fugitives that have failed to appear for a court date after posting bail. Because of the dangers involved it is necessary for a fugitive recovery agent to know the proper strategies and tactics to complete their task in a safe manner. So how do you begin to hunt for a fugitive? The situations change and many times the proper method to track a person will have to change on a case by case basis, however these are some general guidelines to keep in mind when tracking a fugitive.
Gathering Intelligence:
First and foremost it is necessary to know your target. Learning the history of the fugitive is imperative to apprehend them in a safe manner. Some questions a fugitive recovery agent needs to ask are:
Is the fugitive a violent offender?
Are they known to carry firearms?
Do they have any previous military or martial arts history?
Do they have a drug history?
Do they have a history with mental illness?
These questions can tell a bounty hunter a substantial amount about the safety precautions they need to take once the target is located. Based on this information the bounty hunter can determine if it is better to attempt to apprehend the subject in a public location, at their residence, or if someone is able to turn them in.
It is also important to determine if the target is in a relationship, if they own a vehicle, have any known locations of residence, hobbies and their common hang out spots. If for example a fugitive is known to like drinking a bounty hunter could start by asking around local bars to gather additional information.
Finding Contacts:
Finding any contacts associated with the fugitive is another area of importance when attempting to locate an individual. First a bounty hunter would want to contact the person who signed the bond as they are ultimately responsible for the appearance of the bailee. In many cases this will be a parent of relative who are concerned with the wellbeing of their loved one. In some instance they will work with the bounty hunter or bail bonds company to assist with the apprehension of the fugitive, however there are just as many instances of family and friends trying to throw off bounty hunters.
It is important to assess early on whether the family and friends of the fugitive are cooperative or whether they are trying to conceal the bail jumper. This will ultimately lead to the strategy that the bounty hunter will need to employ to successfully detain their target. In some instances it is essential to feed the fugitive’s contacts with misinformation in order to allow them to lead the subject into a trap.
Equipment:
The use of proper equipment can make the difference of saving lives when apprehending a fugitive. Non lethal weapons are preferred by most bounty hunters due to the backlash of an investigation from law enforcement officials in the event that the apprehension turns deadly. A dead fugitive as well will not return the bond cost for the bail bonds agency. A bail bondsman and bounty hunter are in the business of capturing targets and bringing them in alive to face justice.
Along with adequate non lethal weapons a bounty hunter must have the proper protective gear including bullet proof vests, gloves, and clothing that suits a foot chase. The vehicles used by a bounty hunter should also conceal their stakeout operations while not appearing inconspicuous in the area surrounding the stakeout location. Changing vehicles frequently as well as the actual agent conducting the stakeout operation can dramatically improve its overall effectiveness.
In some instances it is necessary to carry a firearm depending on the criminal history of the bail jumper. Many bounty hunters do carry firearms however there is an equal amount that rely primarily on non lethal weapons. Handcuffs are another item that all bounty hunters should carry. Once a target is detained they will ultimately need to be transported back to the police station so an effective transport vehicle should be considered as well to ensure the proper levels of security for this task.
The Stakeout:
Staking out a target’s location is one of the most tedious and unrewarding aspects of being a bounty hunter although this is imperative in locating a subject. Many man hours are spent remaining patient and determined waiting for a fugitive to slip up during their run from the law. Watching the families’ area or residence, local gas stations, bars, grocery stores, convenience stores, dry cleaners, restaurants and laundromats are areas that are commonly observed because they provide services which almost everyone is bound to use at some point in their day to day lives.
Staking out a location is much more effective in smaller communities as there are less locations to manage and a particular individual is easier to notice in a smaller community. Despite the effectiveness of this strategy it is one which is employed in practically every man hunt.
Detaining a Fugitive:
Once a fugitive is located a comprehensive plan must be devised to apprehend the subject in the safest manner possible. If the fugitive is a flight risk a trap will have to be employed to ensure they do not escape the fugitive recovery team tracking them. Failing to detain a fugitive on the first attempt will commonly spook them resulting in the target laying low and taking further precautions to remain in hiding. This results in additional man hours to re-locate and apprehend the target, and since a bail bonds company is typically on a timeline to bring their subject in this can waste valuable time to recover the cost of the bond.
The strategy and tactics used by a bounty hunter once the subject is located will ultimately determine the success of the overall operation. Making the first apprehension attempt count will typically separate the successful and unsuccessful bounty hunters. Ensuring the proper equipment is available is another area that must be assessed in a detailed fashion by the fugitive recovery team. Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight, or mace or even a taser for that reason.
Successful Manhunting
Strategy, tactics, foresight and the proper equipment are essential to tracking and apprehending a fugitive successfully. This is one of the most difficult aspects of working within the bail bonds industry. In many cases a bail bonds agency will have a team of bounty hunters separate from their bail bondsmen so that each team can focus on its area of expertise however it is just as common for a bail bondsman to take on the role of the fugitive recovery agent due to lack of resources.
However these jobs are divided an essential aspect of the industry is the knowledge and employment of proper strategy in a variety of situations. The training of a fugitive recovery agent must mirror that of law enforcement of military personnel in order to provide an effective operating team that can maintain longevity through situations of adverse conflict.