3 Reasons To Bail A Loved One Out Of Jail

It's never fun to get that panicked call from a friend or loved one, letting you know that they've been arrested and need bail money. Chances are, the caller isn't any happier to be calling you than you are to be receiving the call. Being arrested is scary, and asking for bail money can be humiliating. You are facing a difficult choice, and people may question your decision to bail a child, spouse, or friend out of jail. However, if the arrested person poses no threat to you, and they aren't likely to skip out on their bail, there are some good reasons why you should consider bailing them out.

They Can Keep Their Job

This may be especially important if the arrested person is someone you live with, like a spouse or roommate, and you depend on their income. Letting someone sit in jail for more than a day is almost a surefire way to make sure that they lose their job.

If this person is supporting children or a family, or if their income is helping to support you, it may make more financial sense to raise the bail money so that they can continue to work until their case goes to trial. Coming up with bail money is a short-term hardship, but a job loss in the household could create a very long term hardship. Remember, even if the arrested person is eventually acquitted at trial, the recent arrest record will make it that much more difficult for them to find a new job.

They Can Assist in Their Own Defense

Technically, everyone has a right to assist in their own defense. However, it can be awfully difficult to do so from a jail cell. Studies show that criminal defendants who can't make bail are more likely to plead guilty and tend to receive harsher punishments than those who are able to make bail and can defend themselves from outside of jail.

That doesn't mean that defendants who can't make bail are necessarily guilty more often than those who can. It can take a long time for a case to go to trial. Someone who can't afford to make bail may choose to plead guilty in order to take a plea deal for time served, because they will get out faster than they would by waiting for a court date. Being in jail is also emotionally taxing. Defendants who can't make bail may simply begin to feel that a guilty verdict is inevitable, so they might as well get it over with.

They May be Innocent

Guilty or innocent, very few people want to sit in jail. But for someone who is convinced of their innocence, the experience can be highly traumatic. The truth is, anyone can be arrested, even innocent people. You could be arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or because of a mistaken identity, or because of a misunderstanding. It happens all the time.

Legally, everyone is presumed innocent until a jury or judge finds them guilty, or until they plead guilty of their own free will. But in practice, a person who cannot afford bail is not treated as innocent. Jail is punitive, even for people who have not yet been tried and are theoretically supposed to be treated as innocent. The longer a person sits in jail, the less likely they are to be treated as innocent, either in court, or in their daily lives when and if they are eventually released.

Chances are, if the shoe was on the other foot, you would want your friend or family member to post bail for you. So when you're in the position of deciding whether or not to help bail someone out of jail, consider that you'll be helping them maintain their livelihood, avoid a harsher sentence than is necessary, and keep their presumption of innocence.  If you can't afford to put the money up on your own, a good bail bondsman can help make bail more affordable for you.

To learn more, be sure to visit http://absolutebailbond.com.

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