Category : California Jails

Expert Mendocino Bail Bondsman

Most people are completely unsure of what to expect when they call to get information about Mendocino bail bonds.  In fact, it’s not uncommon for people to have complete misconceptions about how the bail industry works.

When you call to speak with a Mendocino bail bondsman they will first need to ask you several quick questions about the defendant.

• What is their first and last name?
• Do you know their date of birth, or how old they are?
• Do you know whereabouts they were arrested?
• When were they arrested?
• Do you know how much their bail is?

If you don’t have all of the information available, don’t worry. Any expert bondsman should be able to look it up in the system while you are on the phone.   Once all the necessary information is gathered you will then be asked to fill out a bail bonds application.  The form is very simple and shouldn’t take long to complete.

Some companies require their clients drive to their office to complete this step.  Others provide the option of Read more »

Costa Mesa Jail to be Outsourced

In order to save taxpayer money, the Costa Mesa City Council voted to outsource two of its city services, including street sweeping and Costa Mesa jail services.

The council also considered outsourcing video productions, building inspection and animal control but decided against it after reports showed that it will be better for the city to continue providing these services.

At his time, there is a pending legal issue with the employee’s union. There have been many layoffs of city employees over the last 14 months. After learning that the city was considering outsourcing some city services to private companies, the union filed a lawsuit against Costa Mesa, stating that the city was doing so illegally.

If the case goes in the city’s favor, then jail services and street sweeping will Read more »

Orange County Allowing Credit Cards for Cash Bail is Bad Public Policy

Orange County is the latest of several California county jails have made it possible for inmates or their families to pay the full amount of bail with a credit card. Four new kiosks were installed last week at Theo Lacy Jail in Irivine and at the Orange County Central Jail in Santa Ana (OCJ). With these kiosks it will soon be possible to pay a full bail amount with a credit card in order to arrange bail payment without the use of a bail bondsman.

How Credit Card Bail Works

Quite simply, an individual walks up to the kiosk and puts the full bail amount onto their credit card. With a valid credit card, the kiosk company will charge the full amount of the bail plus a service fee. At other County jails such as the Ventura Jail, the amount of the service fee is 7%. Let’s say that the amount of bail is $10,000. That means that the credit card will be charged $10,700.

When the defendant returns to court and the case is complete, the $10,000 will be returned to the credit card. The county as well as the “third party” processing company (unlicensed or regulated by the California Department of Insurance which overseas the bail industry) retain the remaining $700 fee.

Lack of Defendant Oversight

What happens if the defendant does not return to court after they’re released? Read more »

San Mateo Approves Funding for New Jail

This past Tuesday, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved the spending of $16.5 million for the construction of a new jail, in spite of protests from opponents.

The decision was reportedly unanimous. The new facility is estimated to cost $155 million. The board approved contracts with project managers and architects and came to an agreement with local trade unions. Construction is scheduled to begin at the new location for the jail in June.

There were about twelve people waving signs protesting the plan to build the new jail, which has no official funding source to date. The money will likely need to be financed. The protestors urged the board to look for alternatives for sending people to jail.

Sheriff Munks has been pushing for a new facility, citing the overcrowding of the Maguire Jail Correctional Facility and deterioration of the Women’s Jail as reasons to build a new jail. The new project will also create about 300 construction jobs.

The county has taken this plan more seriously now that Read more »

Monterey County Bail Bonds

Learning that someone you care for has been arrested can be both stressful and frightening.  In California it’s not uncommon for a defendant’s bail to be set at $25,000 or above.  Even though bail bonds cost just 10% of the total amount of a person’s bail, $2,500 can still be a lot of money to need to pay all at once.

Years ago it was much more common for people to pay for bail bonds in full.  Now, however, most Monterey County bail bonds companies find they need to be flexible with their clients when it comes to finding an affordable monthly payment plan that works within their budget.

Some companies may even be able to offer Read more »

Las Colinas Jail Gets Passing Grade

A May report issued by a San Diego County Grand Jury describes the Las Colinas Detention Facility as being well kept and maintained.

The panel visited the 14-acre facility last September after harsh condemnations had been made as to the condition of the jail.  Those criticisms were so harsh, say county officials, that construction of a new, updated facility has been approved.   The groundbreaking is scheduled to take place later this summer.

The contract for the 1,216-bed facility was awarded to Balfoour Beatty/Barnhart.  The 45-acre jail will be located adjacent to the Riverview Office Park, will stand two-stories tall and will be surrounded by barbed wire and metal fencing.   Construction is scheduled to complete in late 2014.

According to a recent report by 10News.com, the biggest challenges Las Colinas jailers face is separating various categories of inmates.  At current, the jail houses female detainees convicted of a wide-range of crimes, ranging from misdemeanor offenses to violent felonies.  The report goes on to state that approximately 18% of inmates need to be kept separate from the general population for a variety of reasons.  The Grand Jury believes that the state’s prisoner realignment program could cause that number to increase.  State officials disagree.

The only recommended change listed in the Grand Jury’s report involved the introduction of Saturday parental visiting hours.  The suggested location for the visits is a County juvenile girls’ rehabilitation facility.

 

 

Expert Bail Service In Napa County

When someone is arrested in Napa County it generally takes between two and four hours for them to be fully booked into the system.  During this time they will have their mug shots and fingerprints taken, will undergo a national warrant screen and they will have their bail set.  Napa County bail bonds can be posted 24-hours a day so it is prudent to call an expert bondsman as soon as you learn your friend or family member has been arrested.  Getting the bail bonds process started quickly can help expedite their release.

Persons arrested in Napa County will be taken Read more »

San Mateo County’s New Realignment Plan

Because of the state’s new jail realignment plan, San Mateo County has reportedly decided to implement its own realignment plan in order to accommodate the hundreds of expected inmates that will be sent to the county jails instead of prisons.

It is estimated that the county will see about 600 new inmates in the jails within two years. This is one reason for county supervisors to approve plans for a new jail quickly.

Since October of last year, San Mateo County jail has received 66 inmates who would have otherwise served their sentence at a state prison. They are either housed in the jails or placed in a supervised probation program.

The local realignment plan will incorporate Read more »

Choosing A Marin County Bail Bondsman

If you have been notified that a friend or family member has been arrested by Marin County law enforcement, you may be wondering where to turn for assistance.   There are hundreds of companies who offer bail bonds service and trying to figure out who you should call can be overwhelming.

There are several things you’ll want to consider before deciding which Marin County bail bondsman to work with:

• How long have they been in business?
• Does the person you’re speaking with seem knowledgeable about how bail works?
• Will you need to drive to their office, or do they offer bail bonds service via email and fax?
• Do they offer Read more »

Shasta County Bail Bonds

If you have never needed to talk to someone about Shasta County bail bonds before you are not alone.  Almost everyone that calls our office before has never needed to bail someone out of jail before.   Many of them are unfamiliar with the process, and ask we walk them through step by step.

The first thing you will want to know about signing a bail bonds contract is that you are taking on two important responsibilities.  First, you are taking responsibility that the defendant goes to court.  Depending on charges and the situation surrounding their arrest they may have more than one court date.  If the defendant misses court on accident they will want to call their Shasta bail bondsman as soon as possible, because the judge will issue a warrant for their immediate arrest. The bondsman will provide them a piece of paper to bring to the court which will allow the bond to be reinstated, the warrant lifted and their court date rescheduled.

If the defendant willfully decides to skip bail the person who signed the bail bonds contract will be contacted for assistance in locating them.  If the defendant is not returned to custody within a set period of time, they and the bondsman they worked with will be responsible for paying the defendant’s full bail amount to the court.

The second thing you need to keep in mind is that you are guaranteeing the bondsman’s fee will be paid.  In many cases this is done up front, in full, before the bond is posted.  If you have arranged a payment plan, though, you will need to make sure that payment is made as agreed.  Many Shasta County bail bonds companies offer their clients zero-percent financing.  Be sure to ask the bondsman you’re working with whether they charge interest of financing fees for payment plans.

At Tonya Page Bail Bonds we have more than 40 years of experience in helping people get out of Shasta County jails.  We will take the time to answer any questions you might have no matter the time, day or night.  For fast, immediate service call us now at 877-224-5266.