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Archives for January 2023

What’s the Difference Between Jail and Prison?

When a person is arrested, they are typically taken to a local jail. A jail is a short-term holding facility for people who have been arrested and are awaiting trial, sentencing, or transfer to a prison. Jails are usually county or city-operated and are used to hold people for shorter sentences or those who are awaiting their court date. On the other hand, a prison is a long-term correctional facility run by the state or federal government. Prisons are used to hold individuals who have been convicted of a crime and have received a sentence of a year or more.

Who Is Held in Jails and Prisons?

Jails are typically used to house people who have been arrested and are awaiting trial, sentencing, or transfer to a prison. They are also used to hold people who are serving short sentences (generally less than a year). These individuals may include those who have been arrested for misdemeanors, non-violent offenses, or those who are awaiting trial or sentencing.

Prison, on the other hand, are used to house people who have been convicted of more serious crimes and have received a sentence of a year or more. They are also used for individuals who have been convicted of multiple offenses or repeat offenders. These individuals may include those who have been convicted of felonies, violent crimes, or repeat offenders.

What Are the Differences in Security?

Jails typically have less security than prisons. Jails are designed to hold people who have not yet been convicted of a crime, so they are not as heavily guarded. They may not have the same level of security measures as prisons, such as barbed wire fences, security cameras, or armed guards.

Prisons, on the other hand, are designed to hold people who have been convicted of a crime, so they are much more heavily guarded and have more security measures in place. They may have multiple layers of security, including barbed wire fences, security cameras, and armed guards. They also have more restrictions on movement and access, such as locked cells, restricted visiting hours, and limited access to the outside world.

What Are the Differences in Sentences?

The sentences for those held in jails are typically shorter than those held in prisons. People held in jails are usually serving sentences of less than a year, while those held in prisons are typically serving sentences of a year or more. People held in prisons are also typically serving more serious sentences than those held in jails.

How Does a Bail Bond Work in Jails and Prisons?

When a person is arrested, they may have the option to post bail, which allows them to be released from jail while they await their trial or sentencing. Bail is typically set by a judge and can vary depending on the severity of the crime and the individual’s criminal history. Bail bond companies, like HB Bail Bonds, can help individuals secure their bail by providing a bond in exchange for a fee. This bond acts as a guarantee that the individual will show up for their court date.

However, once an individual has been convicted and sent to prison, the option for bail is no longer available. The individual will have to serve their sentence in prison and will not be eligible for release until their sentence is completed.

In Summary: The Key Differences between Jails and Prisons

Jails and prisons may seem similar, but they have distinct differences in terms of who they house, security measures, and the length of sentences. Understanding these differences is important for those who may find themselves or a loved one in the criminal justice system.

If you or a loved one has been arrested and need assistance with bail, contact HB Bail Bonds for professional and reliable service in the Central Ohio community. With over 16 years of experience, they can help navigate the bail bond process and secure your release from jail while awaiting trial or sentencing. This will allow you to spend time with your family and prepare your defense while awaiting the court’s decision.

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How Arraignment Works in Ohio

Arraignment is a part of the criminal justice process that many people talk about, but very few people actually explain. When someone is arrested in Ohio on suspicion of committing a crime, arraignment will be one of the first things they go through after that arrest.

At HB Bail Bonds, our job is to offer Columbus bail bonds and not legal help, we do understand how the arraignment process works very well, as it is directly tied to the process of posting bail.

Here’s a guide on what someone can expect if they’ve been arrested and charged with a crime in Columbus, Ohio, CincinnatiDayton, or the surrounding areas in Ohio.

What is Arraignment?

Arraignment is the term for a person’s first court appearance after an arrest. In Ohio, typically the amount of bail is set by a judge at arraignment. It is common for defendants and their families and friends to seek out the services of a bail bond agent in Columbus, Ohio after an arraignment concludes.

The purpose of an arraignment is for a defendant to formally hear the charges against them and enter a plea. An arraignment is not a trial, there is no evidence presented or arguments made.

In some cases involving minor misdemeanor charges, a defendant may not even need to appear at an arraignment if their attorney is present to hear the charges and enter a plea on their behalf.

Entering a Plea At Arraignment

By far the most important thing for a defendant to do at arraignment is enter a plea, whether they plan to find affordable bail bonds in Columbus or not. This happens after the charges have been formally described and constitutional rights under the law have been explained, and will determine whether the case moves forward to trial.

There are three plea options at arraignment:

  • Guilty
    • The defendant admits to the charges brought against them. This will essentially close the case and avoid a trial. The judge may enter sentencing immediately after a guilty verdict or set a hearing for sentencing at a later date.
  • Not Guilty
    • The defendant denies the charges and maintains that they did not commit the crimes they are accused of. This will not necessarily lead directly to a trial – there are more steps in-between – but it will continue the legal process leading up to a trial.
  • Nolo Contendere (No Contest)
    • In a nolo contendere plea, the defendant claims that they did not commit the crime in question. However, similar to a guilty plea, this plea indicates that a defendant cannot fight or refute the charges brought against them, and will accept sentencing for the crime.

How to Get Bond Money Back After Arraignment

One of the biggest questions for people, whether they work with a bail bond service in Columbus or not, is about how to get bond money back.

The good news about having a bail amount set at arraignment is that it is intended to be temporary. Bail money is essentially held as collateral to ensure that a defendant will appear for their scheduled court appearances. As long as the defendant appears at all necessary court appearances, the bail money will be returned at the end of the process, regardless of the verdict.

In fact, if a defendant enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, bail will be returned almost immediately. However, if a defendant fails to make regular court appearances related to their case, bail money will not be returned at any point.

Paying Cash Bail

When cash bail is paid out-of-pocket, assuming all court appearances are made properly, that money will all be returned at the end of the trial or criminal proceedings.

However, bail amounts can be as little as a few hundred dollars or as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on a number of factors including severity of the charges – felony bond conditions are typically more difficult to meet than for misdemeanors.

Paying By Surety Bond

It is often not feasible to pay a large cash bail out of pocket, and that’s why it’s so important to find a reputable bail bond service in Columbus.

When a defendant or their loved one posts bail using bail bonds in Columbus, Ohio, they often obtain what’s called a surety bond. This allows them to pay 10% of the amount of total bail to a bail bond agent in Columbus, and the bondsman in Columbus will cover the rest of the bail. The downside of a surety bond is that at the conclusion of the trial, they do not receive the 10% back – this is kept by the bond agent as the fee for service – but at no point do they have to pay the full amount of the bail.

This is a much more attainable way for many people to post bail on large amounts, and HB Bail Bonds even offers no money down bail bonds in Ohio so they can pay that 10% over time!

If you are in need of bail bonds in Columbus, Ohio, Dayton, Cincinnati or any of the surrounding areas, contact HB Bail Bonds today and let us help you or your loved one post bail after arraignment!

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How Do Surety Bail Bonds Work?

Surety bonds are used in all sorts of places, from businesses to banks to construction contractors. In the most basic sense, a surety bond is a monetary promise that someone will fulfill their duty or action to another.

In construction, a surety bond may, for instance, guarantee that a hired contractor will perform the work described in their contract. If the contractor doesn’t complete the work, the surety either arranges for a new contractor to complete the work or refunds the money paid to perform it.

That’s the basic premise, but what you really want to know is how all this applies to bail bonds in Columbus, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Dayton, Ohio.

Columbus bail bonds, much like bail bonds in Cincinnati or anywhere else, are surety bonds. They guarantee that someone who has been arrested on suspicion of a crime will appear in court when bailed out of jail.

Here’s how that works.

What Does it Mean to be a “Surety?”

Unlike a cash bond, which has only two parties (the court and the person paying the bond), surety felony bonds have three involved parties:

  • The obligee (the court, as the party requiring action to be performed)
  • The principal (the person who has been arrested and must appear in court)
  • The surety (the third party issuing the bond and guaranteeing that the principal will meet their obligations to the obligee – in this case, appearing on their court date)

In this case, a bail bond agent in Columbus, Ohio like HB Bail Bonds is acting as the surety company – they are posting the bail and therefore making a financial guarantee that the principal will show up in court at the appointed time.

So in short, a surety is a third party that guarantees (in the form of cash bail) that the principal will appear in court when they are bailed out of jail.

What if That Guarantee is Broken?

The role of a surety bondsman in Dayton, Ohio or Columbus or Cincinnati is to post a bail bond as collateral for the principal’s scheduled appearance in court. The felony bond conditions require your bail bond service, in Columbus, Ohio or elsewhere, to post the full amount of the bail.

As long as the principal fulfills their obligations (appears in court at the scheduled times), the bond is returned to the surety in full, regardless of the verdict in the case. However, should the principal fail to show up in court, thus breaking that guarantee, the bond is not returned to the surety.

To protect against this possibility, the bail bondsman takes a 10% fee and secures collateral (this could be a car, jewelry, house, etc.) from the principal or their family. The 10% fee is kept as profit regardless of the outcome, but if the principal does not appear in court, the bail bondsman will be out the entirety of the bond amount, and will look to recoup that cost from the posted collateral.

So, in a case where bail is set at $1,000, working with a bail bondsman in Columbus, Ohio means you can walk in with $100, and the surety bond company will cover the other $900 of the bond. As long as the principal appears in court, that’s all you’ll ever have to pay.

At the conclusion of the court proceedings, the $1,000 bail will be paid back in full to the surety company, and the $100 will be kept as a fee.

Contact HB Bail Bonds for Affordable Bail Bonds in Ohio

Whether you’re looking for affordable bail bonds in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dayton or Columbus, HB Bail Bonds is here for you. Our mission is to make it easier and more affordable to post bail for a loved one, even if you don’t have all the cash you need for the bail up front.

Contact us today and see how we can help.

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