these days, too many clients are asking for bail without the required collateral, such as a home or a car, diminishing bail bondsmen’s customer base. And not helping matters is a new policy by Marion County judges setting less expensive cash bonds for minor offenses…

Couple the economic situation with other “solutions” being offered in terms of bail. I hear talk of temporily lowering the bail schedule to allow more people in California to post bail. Huh? The bail schedule is set by judges based on public safety and flight risk. Lower it?  

Add to this jail overcrowding causing manditory releases, out of control pre-trial release (known as release on ”own recognizance” which is intended for the indigent) and so-called “cash bail” on your credit card. 

“We wanted to make sure we are not setting our bonds so high that we are overcrowding our jail,” said Marion Superior Court Judge Robert Altice Jr. of Indiana. How about public safety?

Last December, I spoke with Tony Castro of the Los Angeles Daily News. He asked me how the bail business has changed in the downturned economy. My answer today would be much the same as then: people still need bail bonds. However, the willingness to pay $1000 or $5000 is definately restricted. In better economic times, people had jobs that they needed to go to, so they would bail out. In better economic times, spending money is easier.

All that said, is the bail industry going under? Well, I can only speak for this company and say, not yet! Treading water at times, maybe, but not going under. As an industry, however, bail agents need to stay aware of the climate. Bail is a right and bondsmen help maintain the system that is free to the taxpayers.

I know most people have never had first hand experience with bail bonds. Apparently, the common school of thought is that crime goes up in an economic down-turn.

Last December, I took a call from Tony Castro at the Los Angeles Daily News. He asked several questions about the economy and bail bonds. Mr. Castro subsequently wrote an article about Van Nuys bail bondsmen “bailing out”. I spoke with Mr. Castro a fair amount of time and even though he quoted me on a couple of points, there were several issues I discussed that were left out. Since then, I keep feeling there’s so much more to be said. So, today I’ve written a follow-up article about bail, crime  and the economy. In this article, I’ve attempted to answer:

1. Is the bail industry recession-proof?
2. As the economy sinks, is crime rising?
3. Are foreclosures and layoffs driving people to a life of crime?
4. How bad is it?
5. Is it getting better?

Photocredit: ©  Norman Chan- Fotolia.com

It used to be when you Googled “bail out” you’d find your local bondsman. Now, that search gives you the same Google Ads for bail bonds, but all of the search results refer to the economic situation.

Today’s Los Angeles Daily News, however, managed to combine the two with Tony Castro’s story: Bondsmen Are Starting to Bail Out. Don’t let the newspaper’s picture and the headline fool you. The only bailing out that Greg Rynerson Bail Bonds is doing is bailing people out of jail.

While it hadn’t occurred to me, I was recently asked if our business was recession proof. Honestly, I don’t think any business is immune to the effects of the economy. Yes, in bail bonds, people continue to have a need regardless of the economy, but the ability to pay, and more over, the willingness to pay is impacted. We offer payment plans where it’s appropriate and perhaps more people this year have needed them.

Photocredit: John McCoy /Daily News Staff Photographer/Dec. 03, 2008