CAN BAIL BONDS DEALERS REDUCE DISCRIMINATION?

http://www.freakonomics.com/2008/01/30/ ... uest-post/

The information in this article seems flawed to me.

_________________
Jason Pollock
Owner/Operator
Surety Risk Management
Los Angeles, California
(323) 786-FIND

"Approach is Everything."

Virginia sets the legal rate at 10%, period. Property bondsmen used to be able to vary the rate but no more... 10% across the board and if a bondsman charges less, he is basically breaking the law, so I don't know where the above statement fits, but it won't fit in "The Old Dominion".



I can tell you at least from my perspective.... in the 13 years I have been a licensed bondsman in Virginia... I have never charged a different rate or premium based on color or race. My decision as to rate is set by the state law and the only other variable is the collateral that may or may not enter the picture and that is based on the variables involved in the bond.... the defendant and the indemnitor and none of the decision makers involve race or color... I don't care what color or race a person is.... their all grey to me.... and the deciding factors are basically financial and 'flee' assessment... "how much money do you have and how likely are you to run?"... that about sums it up.... KISS PRINCIPLE... once again, it just isn't that complicated.

I agree Tom... I think the data in this article is very flawed... with the exception of the attitude portrayed by the courts and attorneys... that is probably on the mark...

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

For what it is worth... this is what I posted on this article.... please note of course the date on this is over 4 years old.....................

I note that the date on this article is rather old, Jan. 2008, however, I wanted to comment anyway....

You cannot vary the premium rate in Virginia... Code says 10%... period, if a bondsman charges a rate lower than 10%, they are breaking the law. I have been a licensed Virginia bondsman for over 13 years and I will tell you that I can't afford to take a chance on 'cutting' a bond premium. As to the discrimination deal... I could care less what color or race someone is.... they are all grey in my book... the only deciding factors involved in my decision to bond.... are financial and the 'flee' factor. The premium is set at 10% and the only other factor relates to the possible 'collateral' I may or may not require based on the persons finances and physical location... example being, out of state bonds usually require some sort of collateral for security, but it is never a race issue.... period.

I think your date (misspelled in the article... should have been 'data') is flawed. You probably are correct however in your assessment of attorney and court attitudes toward bondsmen in general and that is something that unfortunately needs to be fixed. Please note that there are many very reputable members of the bonding community, TV and the media often portray our industry in a bad light based on the worst scenarios and not the best. Most of the professional I associate with have very good reputations and work very diligently to uphold the highest standards.

I might mention in passing that records indicate a fair number of rather unscrupulous attorneys and even judges... the door swings both ways...

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

I believe that the entire article is flawed, and is the result of someone with a window into, but no practical experience within the industry and the risks that are presented. To exemplify this, note the comment in response referring to this profession as trying to do the government's job. Thge government, via 10%, signature and ROR bonds does not guarantee appearance and there is no penalty for them should the defendant fail to appear. They do not screen or qualify signers on 10% to the court bonds, we do. The fact that a defendant sits in jail has nothing to do with the bond amount, gender, or the color of his skin, it is about his past history. If the defendant has screwed over everyone in his family, why would we as bondsman, presume to know the defendant better than his own family? If he has multiple FTA's, that speaks to his propensity to not appear in court, regardless of any of his descriptors. This is a cause and affect relationship, period, and race is not involved. Unless of coarse you are a professor trying to create an issue that you conveniently are the self imposed subject matter expert of.

Scott

_________________
R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

Chesapeake Group Investigations, Inc.
Chesapeake Bail Bonds
877-574-0500
301-392-1100 (fax)
301-392-1900 (Office)

Scott, you are so articulate... your info is always right on the money... I think, however, that sometimes these pseudo-intellects are so far down the Darwin chain... and so caught up in their own definitions, agendas and flawed sources of information that they are really not interested in getting it right... frankly, I think they just don't care what the truth is and they will continue to put forth their doctrine regardless.

That is why I often just get a little crazy when I answer them... cause although I try to feed them the true skinny... I do it in a silly way... cause as said... it probably won't make a difference anyway and your responses to them might not even be understood.... I know sometimes, even as intelligent as I am.... I don't have a clue what you are talking about???????????????????????? but I do appreciate your info and read it anyway...

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Thanks Bill, to make a point, they are only trying to impress others in the same field that are selling garbage. To equate it to your passion for humor..."I didn't get a harumph outa that guy" Blazing Saddles, Mel Brooks a comic geneous in my opinion.

Scott

_________________
R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

Chesapeake Group Investigations, Inc.
Chesapeake Bail Bonds
877-574-0500
301-392-1100 (fax)
301-392-1900 (Office)

"Mongo only pawn... in game of life. "


... and as relates to the types that write these articles:

"You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons. "








... and of course: "Where's my froggy? "

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"