Apple Pie, Baseball, and Bail Bondsmen: How to Become a Bail Bondsman
When describing America, many conjure up images of baseball, apple pie, and blue jeans. All of these images are great, but there’s another purely American thing that should be added to the mix: bail bondsmen. Why you might ask? Because this career is a uniquely American way to get involved in the criminal justice system.
The monumental year of 1776 brought many changes for the future United States. On the one hand, the Thirteen Colonies declared their independence from England. This brought about many changes in government and law, one of them directly related to the discussion at hand: while bail bonds were illegal under English law, the colonies saw fit to change that status. After 1776, bonds, promises that guarantee payment if a defendant fails to appear in court in criminal proceedings, were legal. This change opened up many possibilities and the career of bail bondsman was finally created in 1898. In this year, Tom and Peter McDonough created a company that put up the amount specified by the court for bail, taking a smaller payment from the defendant, thereby promising that the person would appear in court.
The practice has evolved by leaps and bounds since 1898. Modern bail bondsmen, or bail bondsmen, are generally licensed through the State Department of Insurance and have a standing security agreement with court officials in their area. This agreement is that they will post a bond to cover a defendant and are responsible if the defendant does not appear in court. More and more people see these jobs as a great way to get involved in the criminal justice system and there is growing interest in bail bondsman careers. But, before you take all your savings and head off to the local jail to act as a bail bondsman, read these simple steps outlining the process of becoming a bona fide bail bondsman.
Before you stop becoming a bail bondsman, you will be reviewed by the State. Most states require pre-licensing background checks, generally before the individual enrolls in classes or receives study materials. In these background checks, officials look for felonies and other crimes. They want to make sure they have a good, honest person who won’t be tempted to abuse his position. After all, you are working for the state and the criminal justice system where corruption is not tolerated.
Time to go to school: bring a notebook and a pencil. Some states require pre-licensing education about the profession and bonding in general. Usually schools in the area provide these classes, but sometimes states will. Some states do not have formal classes and instead provide study materials so that interested individuals can learn on their own. Regardless of how this process is carried out in each state, it is important to educate yourself about the profession, especially any specific guidelines that may exist in your state. In addition to classroom learning, some states also require an apprenticeship so that the potential bond broker has a better understanding of the system.
This is the proof. After a potential candidate has taken all the necessary courses, they can take the licensing exam. This exam checks your knowledge of your state’s guidelines and determines if you are required to be licensed as a bail bondsman. If you pass this test, your individual state will issue a license.
It’s time to start. Once you are licensed, but before you can begin working as a bail bondsman, you must contact local insurance companies to obtain bond insurance. This specific type of insurance is completely necessary in the bond business and allows the agent to issue bonds to get clients out of jail.
You are ready to be a legitimate bail bondsman. Once all of these steps have been completed, you can start working as a bail bondsman. At this point, all your hard work will pay off and you can start getting involved in the criminal justice system of the United States of America.
