How Is the Amount of Bail Determined in Baltimore?
One of the hallmarks of our modern society is the promotion of various human rights. One of the most important of this is the freedom to associate freely and to move around. Though this freedom can be taken away when an individual commits an offense, an attempt is made to ensure that the taking away of this right only occurs when the individual has been convicted of committing the crime.
It is for the above reason that an accused individual is said to be innocent until proven guilty, also known as the presumption of innocence. One way through which the legal system ensures that the freedom of an individual is upheld until a conviction is gotten is through the bail system.
Understanding the Concept of Bail
What exactly is the bail system? This is a system put in place to offer people standing trial for criminal offenses an opportunity to enjoy freedom while their case is being determined. Bearing in mind that the cardinal rule of the justice system is that an individual is innocent until proven guilty, it is important that an innocent person is not held in custody for days pending the determination of the case against such an individual.
On the flip side, since a guilty person is also considered innocent until proven guilty, releasing such a one comes with the risk that they may abscond to escape justice. This, therefore, constitutes a kind of dilemma.
The bail system is a kind of compromise in the attempt at finding a middle ground between the injustice of holding an innocent person in custody while their innocence is being determined and the risk of leaving a guilty person free while their guilt is being determined.
To this end, an amount or surety is requested by the court to secure bail. This surety is simply held by the court in trust to ensure that the accused make themselves available for their trial in court. Once the case is concluded, the bail amount is returned to the accused regardless of the outcome of the case. You can read more about the intricacies of the bail system here: https://money.howstuffworks.com/bail.htm.
Factors that Determine Bail Amount in Baltimore
The city of Baltimore like any other has its unique laws and guidelines regarding many different issues including bail. Interestingly, the factors that determine the bail amount in the city of Baltimore are basically the same as with other cities.
We will now quickly look at some of these factors.
Crime Committed
Whether in Baltimore or any other city, the type and magnitude of the crime committed is the first thing that is looked at before first determining whether bail can be granted in the first place and then what amount can be regarded as sufficient security.
A person who was accused of fraud will not have the same bail amount as someone accused of first-degree murder. Simply put, the higher the punishment for the crime an individual is accused of, the higher the bail amount will be.
Social Standing and Personal Recognition
Anyone who has a public image or is well known in Baltimore is likely to receive a small amount or even no monetary security to secure bail. It is thought that the risk of losing their good name and social standing is enough to make them stay back to clear their name.
Investment in Baltimore
Anyone who has invested heavily in the city is less likely to be a flight risk unless the case against them is so serious that all their investments pale beside it. With a lot of investment in the city, the court can grant the accused bail on personal recognition knowing that should they take flight, the court can seize those investments. So actually, those investments are the security that gets them the bail.
What Happens if the Amount is Higher than I can Raise?
This happens more often than you may know so it is not something to be scared about. If you are in Baltimore and the bail amount set by the court for you or a loved one is beyond what you guys can raise, you can simply reach out to agencies that deal in bail bonds in Baltimore. These companies can help you out at such a time.
Conclusion
Freedom is one of the most fundamental rights of humans and it must not be toyed with. Ensure your continued freedom and that of your loved ones, even if you have a case in court, by taking advantage of the bail system.