Bringing Unity to the Nation's Bail Industry

• February 09, 2010
• by Collateral Staff
• In the News

For nearly three decades, the Professional Bail Agents of the United States (PBUS) association has been a haven for the bail industry to learn, network and even get bailed out with advice when thorny issues or situations arise. Founded in 1981 and based in Washington, D.C., PBUS focuses on arming members with the up-to-date information and education needed to survive and thrive in the ever-changing bail industry. PBUS counts the majority of bail companies in the United States as members, which means the association supports most of the country's 14,000-plus bail agents through legislative advocacy, professional networking, continuing education, support of bail agent certification, enhanced liability insurance and development of a code of ethics.

Current PBUS President and Hall of Fame member Linda Braswell took time to provide us with an inside look at her association and the bail industry in general.

Changing with the times
As with most industries, one mark of a quality association is its ability to gracefully adapt to changing industry climates. Braswell has experienced the full spectrum of highs and lows in the bail industry since she began in the late 1960s, and she was quick to point out that PBUS has long been a place where change is embraced as a positive thing.

"First of all, I want to compliment the members of PBUS because this organization has always been open to women," Braswell said. "Women in this organization have always been welcomed and actually encouraged to participate. That's because the industry has changed in the 40-some years I've been involved."

Braswell said the gender ratio in the bail industry was skewed heavily toward males when she started out, but she now estimates that women make up 50 percent of the industry. Other areas in PBUS where Braswell has seen continued improvement are leveraging new technologies, becoming more involved with national issues affecting the bail industry and offering PBUS members help with benefits such as health care packages and liability insurance.

Empowerment through knowledge
With legislation and other bail industry issues changing on a near-daily basis, Braswell said PBUS helps members stay ahead of the curve by providing them with three key tools: networking, education and information. When new legislation is introduced or an interesting development raises new questions, PBUS has a nationwide network of experienced professionals ready to help. According to Braswell, one long-simmering issue is the primary focus of the association's attention.

"Our biggest issue is and always has been pre-trial release," she said. "With pre-trial release, they (government agencies) don't care. They don't verify information. They just set you free and they don't care if you come back."

Braswell said that the bail system is effective because bail agents have a vested interest in ensuring that people show up to court, while pre-trial release programs aren't displaying the same accountability and have ceased being selective about whom to release. According to Braswell, going up against such government organizations is difficult because they are backed by big budgets and numerous bureaucrats. In accordance with Braswell's belief that "information is power," PBUS organized a PBUS J.A.I.L. Summit in September 2009, where representatives from the bail industry gathered to discuss pre-trial release and other key bail industry issues.

Putting on a show
Twice a year, PBUS invites members to congregate at the association's national conferences held in July and in the winter. Hundreds of bail professionals from around the country attend to share the latest news, legislation and technology with their peers. Vendors showcase products targeted at making bail agents' work easier, while attendees can participate in classes covering industry-specific topics such as "Your Professional Image" and "The Lost Art of Skip Tracing." AboutBail.com will also be present at the 2010 PBUS Winter Conference & Meeting Expo to showcase WebSite Lite, a program offered in conjunction with PBUS that enables bail agents to build their own basic Web sites for a low yearly price - or for free if the PBUS member advertises with AboutBail.com. These educational features are valuable to PBUS members, but perhaps even more important are the connections established during the events, Braswell said.

"It's amazing that you can meet people and call them back six months later. That's one of my favorite parts of PBUS," she said.

Braswell shared a personal story to highlight the importance of being a PBUS member. She attended her first PBUS conference while she was struggling to run a "mom-and-pop operation" with her husband and while raising six kids. During the conference, she met a bail agent from Hawaii who gave her his card. Three weeks later, Braswell received a call about a lucrative bail case in Hawaii, but her company didn't have anyone out there to assist her. She fished the Hawaiian bail agent's card out and gave him a call, and he told her that he'd be glad to write the bond for her because she was a PBUS member. That kind gesture paid for her trip to the PBUS conference and provided her with some much-needed leftover money.

"I learned right then and there how valuable PBUS was," Braswell said. "I haven't left a PBUS meeting since without something that would help later."

How you can get involved
The 2010 PBUS Winter Conference & Meeting Expo takes place Feb. 15-18 at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. To learn more about PBUS and find information about the Winter Conference, visit their Web site at www.pbus.com. You can contact PBUS at [email protected] or 202-783-4120.