tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post4429897321532755824..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Political connections keep bail bondsmen from paying full freightGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-7870883845647632362011-08-18T17:40:46.853-05:002011-08-18T17:40:46.853-05:00The problem with Grits way of thinking is that he ...The problem with Grits way of thinking is that he tends to leave out a few facts like(everything government) comes with an extremely high price-tag; in this particular case it also comes at the cost of losing a great deal of freedom along with adding a great deal of government (control), what a comforting thought. <br /><br />The Government takeover of everything lost its luster almost immediately after the hope and change posters came down and “We the people,” by a very large margin want less Government and more freedom, and if its not asking too much we would like to keep our taxes and our jobs too.titfortatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-51963102043778723252011-08-17T09:32:33.591-05:002011-08-17T09:32:33.591-05:00This does not happen in every county. If it does I...This does not happen in every county. If it does I don't agree with their policy etc. I'm a bondsmen in Travis County and we have to pay up if not we are out of business...simple as that. The county makes money from us (it's part of our biz). The bondsmen are the only ones in the criminal justice system that have to pay if we do not perform. The bondsmen can not just get off the bond if the person failed to appear. We are still responsible for getting the client back in jail.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-59245427500744538112011-08-17T06:22:38.949-05:002011-08-17T06:22:38.949-05:00Every time there is a scandal concerning criminal ...Every time there is a scandal concerning criminal justice, Smith County always shows up somewhere in the article or comments. LOLEastTexannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-7520212373858048922011-08-16T14:55:21.072-05:002011-08-16T14:55:21.072-05:00The most fucked up thing about it is that a loser ...The most fucked up thing about it is that a loser who's been to jail numerous times is actually on the board.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22997650987697382922011-08-16T14:48:25.073-05:002011-08-16T14:48:25.073-05:00To add to your last paragraph...the federal system...To add to your last paragraph...the federal system no longer uses commercial bail, states are the only ones left who do. <br /><br />I know in some counties, at least in the past, when a person failed to show up for court the bondsman was allowed to go off the bond, essentially making the whole process pointless. Some counties never required bondsmen to make good on their bonds so it was a no risk business, they couldn't lose. I don't know if that's still the case today. <br /><br />Add to that the fact that some judges use bonds as punishment, clearly in violation of the law and the constitution. <br /><br />I recall a Smith County scandal a few years back where one of the local bondsman was taking sheriff's department officials on gambling trips and was found to be giving other gifts to jailers. Not surprisingly this same bondsman was getting most of the business until the other bondsmen sued. So, yes, the current system is conducive to corruption. I wonder how many judges are getting kickbacks for setting high bonds?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1263147670196101902011-08-16T10:15:38.781-05:002011-08-16T10:15:38.781-05:00I've said it before and I'll say it again:...I've said it before and I'll say it again: The bail bond system has little to do with criminal justice or public safety and everything to do with money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-77151882630614499082011-08-16T09:10:00.459-05:002011-08-16T09:10:00.459-05:00So then, each arrest that demands a bond for the a...So then, each arrest that demands a bond for the arrested to leave the county jail provides a lucrative opportunity for the bondsman community. And without much oversight. That's ripe for opportunities for the less than ethical now isn't it?EdwardMnoreply@blogger.com