Interestingly, a licensed agent who provides bail bonds in Arlington, TX may know more about the bail system and bail laws than district attorneys and even court judges do. That’s because their entire focus is on helping defendants gain pretrial release without having to pay full cash bail, as well as on making sure they appear in court as scheduled.
Relatively Minor Offenses
Bail reform advocates often point out the number of jail inmates who have been charged with relatively minor offenses, yet cannot be released because bail is set too high for them. Some people do not even have $100 in the bank, so coming up with $1,000 or more is impossible. Not everyone has a close friend or family member who is able or willing to take on this responsibility. Bail bonds in Arlington, TX are less costly, with a fee typically being 10 percent of the full bail amount.
More Serious Crimes
Another problem involves people arrested for more serious crimes when the evidence is questionable. That evidence may be just enough for the district attorney to file charges, but a judge might later dismiss the case after a lawyer makes this problem clear in an early hearing. In the meantime, the defendant must wait behind bars if bail cannot be paid.
Statistics on Innocence and Incarceration
Estimates vary widely on the number of convicts in prisons who are actually innocent. Most data show the amount at 1 to 2 percent, or 20,000 to 40,000 individuals. It’s important to also consider that about 95 percent of felony cases end with a plea bargain, in which innocent persons sometimes plead guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence.
With these numbers, it’s easy to understand that a certain percentage of people in jail who cannot afford bail also are innocent of the charges. An innocent person may have been charged with robbery, for instance, while having no alibi other than being home asleep at the time. An organization such as Ronnie D. Long Bail Bonds can help this defendant regain freedom until the case is solved.