What do bail enforcement agents do

Bail bond agents are effectively investing in their clients. Because they stand to lose so much, bail bond agents typically have the authority under state law to authorize what amounts to the arrest of clients who skip bond. To avoid forfeiture of the bond to the state, the bond agent may hire a bounty hunter to find the fugitive and return him to the government within an amount of time that's been set by statute.

Bounty hunters are people who have the authority of bond agents to arrest delinquent clients and deliver them to the appropriate authorities. They are usually paid a percentage of the bond amount. But they get paid only if they apprehend and return the fugitives. It's no surprise that they're so motivated—and often effective—at getting defendants back to court. The federal government has been reluctant to regulate bounty hunters. Moreover, many states don't have laws specifically designed for them.

Those states that do regulate bounty hunting typically don't have stringent requirements for becoming a bounty hunter. Typical prerequisites for a career in bounty hunting include:. Bounty hunters sometimes use excessive means to capture their targets. Reckless pursuits and apprehensions—including those involving excessive force—can cause considerable harm not only to fugitives, but also innocent bystanders. Many people who have been victims of violence at the hands of bounty hunters have gone to court, with mixed results.

Bounty hunters and their employers can be held liable for the former's misdeeds—their victims have, for example, successfully sued for false imprisonment and acts of violence. See Mason v. City of New York , F. But victims haven't had as much success when they've sued the government for the acts of bounty hunters. For instance, most federal appellate courts have determined that bounty hunters and bond agents don't act on behalf of the state.

See Green v. Abony Bail Bond , F. Example: A bounty hunter in Texas was seeking to apprehend Ruth Garcia, who had skipped bail.

He mistakenly identified Betty Cabellero as his target and proceeded to beat her severely. Caballero was pregnant and had a miscarriage. Caballero filed suit against the bond company under the Civil Rights Act of The court held that this law didn't apply because the bounty hunter and bond agent weren't acting on behalf of the government. In certain cases, it can be hard to get a job as a bounty hunter. One reason for this is because bail bondsmen are often bounty hunters themselves, and they will generally do their own bail recovery jobs whenever possible.

Some bail recovery agents start by working for free to prove that they are reliable. An ability to handle a handgun and an understanding of how to restrain people can greatly increase the safety of someone in this profession. A bail enforcement agent will normally try to capture someone with a minimal level of difficulty and danger, and this often requires waiting for the right moment, which means there is generally a lot of surveillance involved.

Many agents also choose to work with other people as a safeguard. AboutBail has a nationwide trusted network of local, qualified fugitive recovery agents. A quick search on AboutBail will provide you with contact information for fugitive recovery agents near you.

Watch our video above for an explanation of the bail bond process. Learn more about how bail works. Bail cost varies from state to state because of different statutes and regulations.

Find out how much it costs in your state. How Bail Bonds Work Watch our video above for an explanation of the bail bond process.