WHY ARE THERE BOUNTY HUNTERS?

There are several answers to this question -- the shortest being -- because there's a need for them.

You could stop right there, but...inquiring minds need to know. And that's a good thing because it tells me you've got something that all good bounty hunters gotta have -- you're not satisfied with the first thing somebody tells you. You're a digger.

There's a need for bounty hunters because the police don't have time to follow up on warrants.

How come all these warrants are piling up and the police don't have time? Is it because they're all down at the donut shop? Sure, that might account for some of it, but if you turn the question around and look at it from another angle (a good thing for a bounty hunter to be able to do) you realize it's because "wanted" people run.

Why do they run? Well, put yourself in their position -- which is a great idea -- because if you want to catch somebody, you've got to know how to hide.

There's lots of reasons. "Wanted" people run because they don't want to go to jail. Because they're afraid. Because they're career criminals. Because they're trying to hide from other charges. And, because they think they can get away with it.

Still not satisfied? Good. I like your style.

If you really want to know why there are bounty hunters, you have to understand a few things about the justice system. Don't worry -- we won't send you straight to the AND JUSTICE FOR ALL until we've prepped you for such passage.

Let's start with what happens when somebody gets caught doing something that's against the law. Most people have seen enough cop shows to know what being "booked" means -- the police take you into the station and process you -- you know, just like Hugh Grant.

After they're booked, they're arraigned. At this point, a judge decides whether or not they can post bail -- that's the amount of money they have to put up in return for being set free until their trial begins. The court returns the money if and when the person charged ("the defendant" in court terms) appears for his next court date. Sometimes it's a little bit of money and sometimes it's a lot. Either way, what happens if they don't have it on them?

That's where the bail bondsman (or bail bondsperson, if you're enlightened) comes into the picture. They can provide a bail bond, which is the special contract that puts the defendant into the personal custody of the bondsman. But just like a restroom attendant in the Ex-lax factory -- the job's not done till the paperwork's completed. Bail is essentially insurance for the court that the defendant will show up.

The bail bond is like a collateral loan. The defendant has to put up something -- usually 10% of the amount in cash -- and the rest of the bond is secured by collateral. It could be a car or a house or a business -- something that's valued at the amount of the bond.

But hey! -- where does the bounty hunter come in? Well, I'm glad you asked that question. First of all, it tells me you know to ask the right questions. And secondly, it tells me you're still awake.

Now, here's your answer. If the defendant doesn't show up in court when they're supposed to, they become what we in the business call a "skip", and the bail bondsman stands to lose money. There's one thing all bail bondsmen have in common -- and contrary to what you might have heard, it's not bad hygiene or high blood pressure -- it's that they hate to lose money.

This is where the bounty hunter comes in. If the bondsman can get the skip back to court, they won't lose money, so they hire a bounty hunter to find and bring back that skip. The bondsman might pay a bounty hunter up to 50% of the value of the bond rather than lose the entire amount to the courts. For bail bondsman, bounty hunters are like calling 911.

HOW THEY GET 'EM:

"It's a dangerous game of chess; and I play to win." Mackenzie Green

Compared to the Wild West, some things have changed. Bounty hunters can still use any means necessary to bring a skip back, but nowadays the courts won't settle for "dead", they want them "alive".

There are two parts to bounty hunting. The first is tracking a skip. By the time a case file lands on a bounty hunter's desk, the trail could be long cold, and time is running out. They've gotta move and they've gotta move fast.

Mackenzie Green, probably the most successful bounty hunter in the U.S. today, relies on her gut feelings and her "people skills" to pick up information on the whereabouts of a skip. She knows what makes people "tick". She uses the fact that for every skip, there's always someone who did somebody "wrong". She puts that together with her acting talents, perfected over the years to Oscar-level quality. The result is that nobody knows who she really is until she nails 'em. Mackenzie knows -- a cop's always got to be a cop, but bounty hunters can be anybody to get the tip that breaks the case wide open.

When a skip has evaded the "long arm of the law", Mackenzie has found that the telephone is the best way to "reach out and touch someone". It's a lot cheaper than a plane ticket and you don't have to put up with that awful airline food. Fortunately, people tend to believe things they're told over the phone, and she relies on people's trusting nature.

The second part of a bounty hunter's job is taking the skip into custody -- easier said than done.

There's a lot of truth to the statement, "You can't tame a bull with a two-by-four". What that means is -- violence will get you violence. Some states don't allow bounty hunters a gun-carry permit, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It forces a bounty hunter to rely on other things like their "street smarts" and intuition. But you can't forget to add in a heaping helping of common sense.

A smart bounty hunter won't try to nail a skip in public places. Why? Because well-meaning bystanders, thinking they're witnessing a kidnapping, might interfere. The best time to strike is in the middle of the night, when the skip is sleeping or too groggy to put up a fight. Or first thing in the morning as they're about to step into their car.

Remember, a bounty hunter can use any means necessary -- including breaking and entering, and they don't need a warrant. However, they do have to know that the skip is likely to be in the place. And if you're breaking into someone's house be prepared for problems like dogs, alarms and little sleepy-eyed kids up for a drink of water. They can all complicate your late-night scoop.

Of course, if you're going through a window use a ladder, or you might end up like Mackenzie did one time, half-way in and half-way butt-draggin' till the cops pushed her through. Thank goodness for the vertically-gifted. It pays to have somebody covering your butt -- literally!

Having a back-up to assist with an arrest is always a good idea. Work with someone you know you can trust. Sometimes it's a good call to bring along the local police as well, but you can't always rely on their availability or cooperation.

Most importantly, you rarely get a second chance. If you blow the first attempt, the element of surprise is gone and usually, so is the skip.

Copyright© 1995 ON World

(TM)