If you’ve ever needed bail bonds in Las Vegas, you know what an integral part of the system your local friendly bail bondsman is. Chances are, you or a loved one has owed a quick release and benefits of freedom to the men and women who are always there, waiting for your call. The process is a simple one; once you’re arrested and booked into the system, you’re typically assigned bail. This is the amount of money the court sees fit for you to post in order to ensure that, if you’re released, you’re likely to return to court to face the charges against in you.

In 1966, another option came onto the scene for defendants being detained after being charged with a crime, known as the pre-trial release program. Typically designed for first-time offenders and those charged with more minor, non-violent crimes, the pre-trial release program allows defendants to post a signature bond. Also known as ROR, being released on one’s own recognizance, this system allows a defendant to be released without needing to post money or property to ensure their reappearance in court. In some cases, a defendant can be released with little more insurance than a name, an address, and someone willing to vouch for the defendant’s character. In other cases, stricter supervision is required, such as weekly check-ins with a pre-trial case manager, alcohol, drug, theft, or anger management classes, or being required to turn over a passport. In most cases, these defendants are released immediately after arraignment, meaning most spend less than 24 hours in jail, unless one has the bad luck to find himself in a jail cell over a weekend or holiday.

The pre-trial release program has a number of benefits, specifically that it cuts down on jail overcrowding and allows those accused of less serious crimes to await trial outside of the system. Many argue it’s a fairer way of conducting business, as the qualifications for the program have nothing to do with an ability to pay for your release but instead your criminal history, ties to the community, and likelihood of you not being a flight risk.

While the basic concept behind the pre-trial release program is a good one, as crime rises and more and more people are processed in and out of the system each day, it’s become impractical to keep up with defendants once released. Standards for the pre-trial release program have dropped significantly, so that even repeat non-violent offenders are given ROR status to open beds for those accused of violent crimes. Some studies show that between 30-40% of defendants released via pre-trial programs don’t show up for court dates, compared to 18% of defendants that fail to show after posting bond. And, because there’s no significant financial liability involved in a defendant failing to appear after pre-trial, it is unlikely anyone is actively looking for him. He may not be picked up until years later, often on a routine traffic stop or road violation. While pre-trial programs offer a cheaper, more convenient alternative, they simply don’t work in the interest of fairness and justice, leaving privatized bonds the best solution for all involved.

If a defendant is unable to be located, the bondsman will often enlist the help of a bounty hunter, a professional with the training and experience necessary to find and retrieve fugitives. Throughout history, bounty hunters have rose to fame apprehending fugitives, particularly in the era of the Wild West and Texas Ranger Jack Duncan. Today, the face of bounty hunting has changed, with names like “Dog” The Bounty Hunter turning the profession into reality television.

Whether you’ve needed bail bonds in Las Vegas, or known someone who has, you’ve probably owed a great debt, as well as a huge thank you, to the private bail bondsman that helped you obtain your freedom.

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