
5 Essential Reasons To Post Bail
If you are arrested, you usually have two choices — you can stay in jail until your trial or you can post bail so that you can go home. Unfortunately, bail can be very expensive, but luckily, a bondsmen can help you. Wondering if you should contact a bail bonds company for help? Here is a look at why posting bail and getting out of jail is essential.
1. If You Don’t Post Bail, You Can Sit in Jail for a Long Time
Bail acts as a guarantee to the courts that you will return for your trial. And, if you don’t post bail, you simply have to sit in jail and wait for your trial. If your trial is the next day, that is not a problem, but in many cases, the trial may not be for weeks or even months.
For instance, when one woman was arrested in Chicago, she couldn’t afford to post her bail, and as a result, she sat in jail for 14 months waiting for her trial. However, in Illinois, professional bondsmen are banned from practicing in the state. Luckily, in Tennessee, you can get a bondsman to help you post bail so you don’t have to sit there for months.
2. You Can’t Manage Your Life From Jail
Most people have countless responsibilities that they simply cannot address if they are sitting in a jail cell. Unfortunately, you can’t get WiFi, grab a laptop, and work from the jail cell. Instead, you just have to pass your time without any of those amenities, and if you are in jail a significant amount of time, you risk losing your job, forfeiting on your mortgage, and compromising the security of your family.
3. Jail Is Not Comfortable
Although jail is certainly more comfortable than prison, it is definitely not a comfortable place to spend time. In most cases, you have to wear an ill-fitting jumpsuit with state-issue undergarments that don’t look or feel great. You have to share a room with numerous strangers.
Although you can watch TV, you have to share the privilege with dozens of other people who probably don’t like the same shows as you. Additionally, you need to eat, shower, and exercise on the jail’s schedule. You have limited autonomy and freedom in that environment.
4. You’re More Likely to Plead Guilty
When people stay in jail without posting bail, they become more likely to plead guilty, especially to misdemeanors. Many people plead guilty just so that they can speed up the process, receive a punishment, and get out of jail as fast as possible.
According to some research, when charged with a misdemeanor, people who are in jail plead guilty 90% of the time, regardless of whether or not they are actually guilty. In contrast, if they get out of jail, often by turning to the help of a bondsmen, they only plead guilty 40% of the time. If you want to increase the chance of a clean record, you need to get out of jail until your trial.
5. It’s Easier to Prepare for Your Trial on the Outside
Finally, when you leave jail, it’s easier to prepare for your trial. You can meet with your lawyer at any time. If you anticipate a prison sentence, you can wrap up details in your personal life more easily. You can also get a good night’s sleep in your own bed so that you look well rested for your trial.
If you have been arrested, you need to get out of jail, and we may be able to help. To learn more about bail bonds, contact us at Affordable Bail Bonds today.