In particular, what about using a credit card to pay for bail? Should people be able to use credit cards to get out of jail on bond? Is this a responsible choice for people, courts, and society in general? Should Indiana courts be allowing defendants to pay for a release from jail with a credit card? Take a closer look at this topic and let us know what you think. Continue reading and learn about credit cards and the new “swipe and go” system courts are using to release defendants from jail in Indiana.
Using Credit Cards for Bail is Risky and Can Cost Taxpayers Money
Right now in certain Indiana counties, people are given the opportunity to use a credit card to obtain a release from jail directly through the courts. Courts are allowing defendants to pay their bond on a credit card but many feel that this method is unfair, irresponsible, and even dangerous. This is because there is no accountability for people who can get out of jail by simply handing over a credit card number. Many people question how defendants out on bond by means of credit can be trusted to appear for their court hearing on their own. This inquiry is certainly understandable. It is currently a very controversial topic among law enforcement and law officials in Indiana.
When a person is arrested for a crime, a judge will figure out if they are a likely flight risk, or a potential danger to their community. To avoid over-crowding in jails, a judge may release this person on their own recognizance; meaning they are trusted to show up for their hearing willingly. Instead of a judge releasing them on their own recognizance, they can choose to enroll them in a government-operated taxpayer pretrial program. This obviously costs taxpayers money. The last option for a judge is to establish a bond amount to guarantee this person will return to court for their hearing.
If a judge sets a bond amount, a defendant can now either pay a court directly to be released; or they can choose to outsource a private bail bond agency to obtain a release from jail. The bail bondsman takes on the responsibility of the defendant’s full bond amount, and only charging a small percentage of the bond amount as a non-refundable fee. This costs taxpayers nothing at all. Once this responsibility of bond is handed over to a bail bond company, it is their job to make sure the defendant shows up for court so that the bail bondsman can get their bond money back. Looking at past accounts and references, as well as recent statistics calculated by the U.S. Department Justice, this private bail bond system works very well and again, costs taxpayers zero dollars.
Allowing credit cards to be used for bail takes away from the economic advantages of bail bondsmen and agencies. These swipe-and-go systems are typically operated by out-of-state parties, online; so no one is there to see that defendants show up for court. Using credits cards for bail will more than likely lead to reduced attendance in court, repeat offenses, and of course extra costs for taxpayers because law enforcement will need to be used to track down those who skip bond. Credits cards for bail seems like a risky system.