Why Do Some States Not Offer Bail Bonds?

You might not know that some states are signing laws to take away bail bonds, and it's changing the face of the justice system left and right - but there's a reason for that. Some states never even offered the option, and you need to know why. 

According to IBIS World, the bail bond services industry reached profits of around $2.3 billion in 2021. However, bail wasn't supposed to be for money-making purposes, and states are cracking down on the matter. Let's find out more about why some states don't offer bail bonds and why others are making changes in their laws to stop them.

Bail was invented with two main purposes in mind. Firstly, it's so that the country can maintain its standard of "innocent until proven guilty." By posting bail, a person can go home and wait for their trial or any further legal action. Once they're found guilty, they're arrested once again and get their punishment. Secondly, it's a way of ensuring that the accused show up to hearings and court-ordered meetings, as they must pay their bail bond back. If they disappear, the courts can go after them for money.

A bail bonds service is a private company that offers to front the cash to people who can't afford bail assigned by the court. It's a huge for-profit industry, which continues to grow each day. However, states and more lawmakers across the nation have become displeased with this practice and want it gone.

In fact, several other countries like Australia, India, and South Africa are completely getting rid of bail bonds. But the United States is still far behind on this matter. Most states still have a bail bond system to handle pretrial detention and release. However, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Oregon, and Wisconsin are the exceptions. In these areas, commercial bail bonds are gone and replaced by other alternatives, such as direct court payments, to avoid the use of a third party.

Unfortunately, it's hard to tell if other states will be following their example, although many, such as California, are reforming their cash bail laws because the jail system is currently clogged. There are simply too many people who can't afford bail and have to sit in prison waiting for their court dates.

Now that you know this information about bail bonds in the United States, you can understand the justice system better. If you need a bail bond and live in Kansas, contact Shane's Bail Bonds today. We're here to help you!