The
first time you have to bond out of jail is an experience most people
aren't prepared for. Whether you're the person waiting in jail, or the
friend or family member working to help from outside, this guide will
help you through the ordeal. The first thing you need to know is that getting arrested in real life is
not
like what you see on television. You may not hear 'You have the right
to remain silent...' and no one's going to offer you the 'one phone
call' you always hear about. You do have rights, but it won't seem like
it right away.
Understand that while your arrest may have seemed
to happen quickly, your time in processing at the jail may seem to last
for days. The jail officers aren't going anywhere, and for he time
being neither are you, so they don't feel any need to hurry.
You're unlikely to have any contact with anyone until you've sat around a
while, been fingerprinted and photographed, sat some more, been
questions, and then waited a while more. You may also get showered (if
you're lucky), or deloused (if you're not so lucky). But at some point
you should be locked into a room, and that's when you can start to try
to call out.
Your holding area will probably look like a row of
really small bedrooms around a larger 'day-room' wit a television and
tables and chairs. The telephone is almost always located in the
day-room. There's often only one, for everyone to share. While you're
waiting your turn, talk to the other inmates.
You probably
didn't come in to jail the first time knowing the names or phone numbers
of any bondsmen, and the jail staff probably won't have the time or
inclination to get you that information. Your cell-mates are your best
source of help at this point.
There will be two groups of people
in the day-room. Some of them will look panicked, may be crying, and
will keep trying to use the phone to call family or friends for moral
support. Those people won't be able to help you.
The people
you're looking for are calm. They're watching television, and chatting
as if they don't have anywhere they'd rather be. Those folks have been
there long enough to know the system; that's why they're calm.
They can help you.
Tell them what you're accused of (now is not the time to discuss
whether or not you did it), and ask them which local bondsman can help
you. They'll probably also be able to tell you what you'll need to
provide (how much money and information), and what you're demeanor
should be like on the phone.
Your bondsman will want to be
assured of several things. First that you have someone on the outside
waiting with money for them. Don't worry if you don't know the exact
amount. The bondsmen will need to cal the jail office to verify it
anyway.
Next, you'll probably need someone to sign for you. A
parent, or other adult, will have to swear to the bondsman that they'll
make sure to keep track of you and make sure you come to court when
you're scheduled to. Some bondsmen will also want you to post some kind
of property, as collateral to insure your appearance. Your home, or your
car, are typical choices for property collateral. You keep them for
now, but you sign papers saying the bondsman gets them if you no-show at
court.
Once you get a bondsman to talk to you, he'll tell you
to sit tight and wait for him to come to the jail and get you out. You
may be waiting a while. Face it, he knows you're not going anywhere. He
may wait until he has two or three people there and then come get them
all at once. Often, a bondsman will work several adjacent counties, so
he may have a bit of drive time before he gets to you.
Try to be
patient, and resist the urge to phone them repeatedly asking 'how
soon?'. They'll come when they come, and then you'll still have to sit
through an interview in person. It's not over until you're out the door,
so be honest, polite, and
patient. He'll ask you a million
questions, some of them personal. You'll have to list every family
member you have, plus and friends and employers, for references. It's
hard to remember all those names, addresses and phone numbers during
what is sure to be a stressful time; just do the best you can.
If you get through all that, without doing or saying anything to spook
the one guy who can help you, you'll probably still go back into your
cell for a while. The jailers will have some paperwork to do, and then
they'll get you back into your street clothes and ask you to sign a form
sating you got your personal property back. (Sign it, no matter what's
missing, be this is a bad time to argue!) Then you'll be led out to an
area where the bondsman is waiting.
After he's got his money,
you'll probably get one last pep talk about showing up for court or
else, and then you're free to go. If your bondsman is really nice, (and
you've made a good impression) you might even get a ride home..
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