Four years ago, a study surfaced which offered the statistic that one in every 100 U.S. adult citizens was currently either in a state prison or county jail. An even greater number of our citizens face arrest at some point in their lives. With predictions like these, it is important for every Ventura County resident to be aware that there are real ins-and-outs to the criminal justice system available to all.
Many people may, for instance, think that sitting in jail for 2-3 days waiting to have bail granted by a judge is the norm, but this is often not a necessity. Every jurisdiction in California has preset bail amounts that a person can pay to get out of jail before ever seeing a judge. In fact, Bail Hotline can have just about anyone released from jail within a few hours of his or her arrest.
What is a Bail Schedule?
The Ventura County bail schedule is set forth by the Superior Court of this county. The schedule has a nearly exhaustive list of crimes that a person may be accused of, along with their preset bail amounts. These amounts, if paid, will allow a person to wait for their trial outside of jail, allowing them to build a stronger case for their defense. This also allows the county to save money by not forcing it to house every person accused of a crime for a minimum of two days.
A person might obtain a lower bail if they wait to see a judge, but they would have to sit in jail and also face the possibility of a higher bail amount if the judge sees fit. Since bail bond agencies can only charge ten percent of the bail’s face amount, it is often wise to just get bonded out of jail as soon as possible.
Misdemeanors
Misdemeanors will usually have lower bail amounts than felony charges. Ventura County has a higher percentage of elderly residents than California’s average, so it is no surprise that the bail schedule specifically lists battery against an elderly person as a crime with a $10,000 dollar bail amount – the highest amount for misdemeanors. Assaulting a member of the military or a peace officer carries the same bail amount. There is even a specified bail of five thousand dollars for not reporting a crime that involves a child. Conducting animal fights also carries a bail amount of $5000. Many misdemeanors listed in Ventura County’s bail schedule are set for crimes that affect people and animals that cannot or should not have to defend themselves.
Felonies
Felonies usually carry higher bail amounts than misdemeanors due to the fact that their punishments are also more severe. One of the lower felony bail amounts, for instance, is $10,000 dollars for transferring an assault weapon to a minor. This bail amount is equal to the highest bail schedule for any misdemeanor. Other felony charges bring even more serious bail amounts. Intentionally discharging a firearm during the commission of a felony has a preset bail of $250,000 if it results in serious injury or death. Anyone who mutilates a female child’s genitalia, as some foreign religions sometimes dictate, will face a ten thousand dollar bail amount before being released. These felonies are serious offenses, but there are not many transgressions that would prevent a person from securing bail.
Many people, when arrested, think of nothing other than how fast they can get out. Luckily, the Ventura County bail schedule allows most people to post a preset bail amount instead of waiting for a judge. This is a win-win situation, as it saves the county a large amount of money in court costs while also allowing a defendant the freedom to prepare a proper defense. Knowing how the bail system works is a large part in getting out of jail as quickly as possible after an arrest, so contacting Bail Hotline should be your first move.
Click here for complete Ventura County 2012 Bail Schedules.