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http://blog.cleveland.com/sunnews/2008/05/neighborhood_watch_getting_bey.htmlDoes the term 'bondsman' conjure images of a scary guy collecting money in a no-tell motel to let criminals back out on the street? That's the image made popular in B movies from the '50s, reality TV and crime novels, where 'bondsmen' are scary, shady guys.
In real life, bondsmen consider their jobs a public service to the community and a vital step in the judicial system.
Jeff Walling, who goes professionally by Jeff Goldstein, president of ABC Bail Bonds, did not like bondsmen at all when he was on the other side of the corrections industry.
'I used to work at the Cleveland House of Corrections as a special policeman,' he said. 'The gentleman who used to own ABC would come and post bonds. I used to not like the fact that he posted bonds. I used to give him an attitude about it. But once I got on the other side, it changed my whole perspective. There's probably no one in the whole world more pro- bondsmen than I am.'
Bondsmen are subcontracted to bond companies like ABC. Ma Bond of Shaker Heights also works for the company. She is called out to the suburbs regularly for a variety of charges. Overall, she said police departments are helpful.
One time, though, she was overlooked.
'Bedford has friendly people, but I did have to sit an hour and half one time waiting for my client. They had accidentally forgotten about me.'
She loves working with Macedonia.
'They give you no problem. When you ask for information, they will give you what you want, and so will Bedford Heights, but Maple Heights won't.'
According to Walling, a bondsman is essentially a babysitter. He said the bondsman watches the defendant for the judge to make sure he or she makes all the court dates.
'It's about accountability, ' he said. 'We make sure people are accountable for what they do.'
The prisoner pays the bondsman to take on the responsibility of the bond. In return, the bondsman charges the prisoner 10 per cent, plus usually a fee. If that prisoner does not show up for court, the bondsman is on the hook for the full amount of the bond. Therefore, the bondsman has a financial incentive to make sure that prisoner shows up for trial. If the defendant stiffs the bondsman and doesn't appear in court, the bondsman will search him or her out.
'We don't cost the taxpayers a penny,' he said. 'We work independent of the system. It works.'
Walling said that, 99 percent of the time, the bondsmen find the clients who don't show, so they seldom have to pay the bond.
