“Jail: It’s Not Just for Criminals Anymore” is not just a empty tagline. It’s unfortunately an accurate description of what our justice system has become. As a bondsman, I see first hand how our laws and criminal justice system affects people. Our laws have become punitive. They ensnare law-abiding citizens in our courts system who […]
For anyone cynical about government programs taking a functioning system, making it worse, then as a solution to the problems it caused propose more of what made it worse, knowing how Virginia’s pretrial services agency functions will only validate that cynicism. Pretrial Services has existed in Virginia for over 20 years. In 2016, a study […]
The bail reformers are alive and well with the intent to end commercial bail. Their claim is commercial bail is the reason the poor a stuck in jail awaiting trial. That is simply not true. Unfortunately, the media is filled with journalists who may know how to write, but either lack the intellectual curiosity to […]
In a previous blog post, I detailed the truth about pretrial services and bail reform, from its’ history to its’ current form of punishment before trial. Defendants who go through pretrial services soon understand they are effectively placed on probation prior to being convicted. It makes a mockery of the ‘innocent until proven guilty’ principle. […]
The inconvenient truth about Pretrial Services: for the past fifty-plus years, pretrial services agencies have encroached on America’s criminal justice system, establishing themselves in local jurisdictions throughout the country. Their impact on our justice system is pernicious and largely misunderstood. I thought it necessary to explain and simplify it for those not familiar with the […]
I had the privilege of being the subject for the cover story in the August 2, 2016 edition of Style Weekly. It was written by Jackie Kruszewski. This was a learning experience which was filled with both enjoyment and anxiety. Last December, I self-published my book, “You Arrested Me for What?”. After it was featured […]
What seems to be taking up most of the local news is the Joe Morrissey of Richmond, Virginia scandal. Since this what the news of the day is, I thought to understand exactly what happened, where it stands, add some context, then throw in my two cents. Joe Morrissey of Richmond Virginia – Sex Scandal: […]
Whenever I have a personal “brush” with the law, I note it here in my blog post. I’m not exactly John Dillinger, so to keep this blog active, I mostly write about other topics. But alas, with the help of the Chesterfield police, I have another brush-with-the-law post to write. I got ticketed a couple […]
From back cover of my book, “You Arrested Me for What? A Bail Bondsman’s Observations of Virginia’s Criminal Justice System.” When someone is arrested, is it right to place that person on parole while he or she is awaiting trial? If someone cannot pay a fine, should that person’s driver’s license be suspended? Does Chesterfield […]
I often get asked how to become a bail bondsman in Virginia, so I decided to write this post describing the basic, high-level steps to do it. As the title implies, bail bonding is regulated by each state, so this article applies only to becoming a bondsman in Virginia. Bail bondsmen in Virginia are regulated […]
While bonding someone out of jail, one of the common questions I get from the cosigner is what happens if they want to revoke a bond, so I thought I would write an article about it. There a multiple ways a bond can be revoked. Judges can revoke bonds, as well as bondsmen. However, this […]
There are many articles about how to bond someone out of jail, including this one – How Bail Bonds Work in Virginia. However, very often, the best thing to do is not post bail. This article gives some guidance and examples of when not to bail someone out of jail. It’s important to understand that […]
I thought to write a historical blog about the Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond, Virginia. Many people in Richmond don’t know that the state pen used to be right here, near downtown Richmond. Quite frankly, in knowing the history of it, it’s not really something most Richmonders would want to boldly hold up as a […]
During the last six months, if you’ve paid any attention to the local news in Richmond, the story of Joe Morrissey’s scandal with his 17-year-old receptionist couldn’t be avoided. About a month ago, I posted a fairly detailed blog about it, along with an overview to Morrissey’s tumultuous career in Richmond and Henrico, Virginia. Included […]
As a bondsman serving the greater Richmond area, I’ll admit I’ve become a bit of a criminal justice nerd. In fact, I took time out of my Saturday to tour the Old Chesterfield Jail, which is part of the Chesterfield County Museum, located at the Chesterfield County Government Center Complex. Not that there’s anything weird […]
Technology continues to change and shape our lives. Technology is like fire, it can be good or it can be bad. A topic that fits this model is the public use of cameras by state and local authorities. It sometimes feels we’re under constant surveillance by authorities; Orwell’s 1984 is here. However, it can’t be […]
Several years ago when my son was just starting to drive, I was unfortunate enough to have an incidental interaction with the law. In this case, it was the Richmond City Police which I now recall the police practices. I was riding in the passenger seat as my sixteen-year-old son, equipped with a learner’s permit, […]
Was your car impounded after an arrest? You’ll want to get it back as soon as possible, as you’ll be charged storage fees for your car. The longer it remains unclaimed, the more expensive it will be to get it. The process for getting it back varies with each jurisdiction. For most jurisdictions, the first […]
Why would it be good to know the 4th amendment? I had a recent client who was picked up on a drug charge. He was pulled over for a routine stop. His girlfriend was in the passenger seat. A “friend” was in the backseat. After the routine part of the stop was over, the officer […]
When people find themselves suddenly in need of a bondsman, they just want answers. I often get asked, “Do I get my bail money back?”. This article answers all questions about the money end of bailing someone out. If any questions remain, please call Aarrow Bail Bonds at 804-833-2785. Do you get bail money back? […]