Would bail your adult child out of jail?

Question: My son was arrested for shoplifting and was sentenced to 36-hours of community service. He then refused to do the community service hours and now he is back in jail for not complying with the court.

Answer: As a bondsman, I get this type of question from parents quite frequently. In fact, we published an article on this a few years back: Bail Bonds 101: Lessons for Parents. Knowing the state of the jails, I would certainly bail my adult child out of jail.

That said, there are certainly significant issues to consider in bailing out your adult child. For example, the act of shoplifting could be a form of “sickness,” especially if it is something that happens often. You don’t mention the age of your son, therefore, it’s possible it could be a certain level of immaturity or youth.

There are many parents who use our bail bond services that have a plan in place to help their children with any sort of abuse, or other issues that could be causing problems. Once they are out of jail, this might be something to consider.

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2 responses to “Would bail your adult child out of jail?”

1. Bail Insurance writes:
   

   Going through the bail process can be an emotional journey. Contacting a Bail Bond Agent could be the path for you. The agents I have worked with are energetic, tenacious and compassionate to my emotional situation. Having the help of someone who understand our legal system can help you focus on your loved ones.

   @ May 9th, 2011 at 10:00
2. Indianapolis Dealerships writes:
   

   I would only bail my adult child out of jail if I thought they had “learned their lesson”. If they put themselves back in the system because they refused to comply, I think they deserve to be in there. Yes, the jail system is in a state of disarray, but if he had a choice to get out and didn’t, leave him.

   @ May 31st, 2011 at 12:25