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The Bounty Hunter

The Bounty Hunter
     We need good people who can go get the bad people and not have to worry about John Q. Public peeping at them through closed curtains. The hunters are men and women who will stop at nothing to get their fleeing fugitive. Driven by the almighty dollar, a caught felon means a big payday, and some might say that bounty hunters operate outside the scope of the law. Is it legal for someone to come crashing through your front door in the middle of the night? As a time-honored profession, do we really need bounty hunters? Myths about the methods used by bounty hunters, their un-regulated lawlessness, and their qualifications and training are often subject to speculation. The realization is bounty hunters are tenacious in tracking their quarry. They will track and ensnare you, thereby making you the prey that was out on bail morph into a fugitive who will soon be in jail.
Myth #1: Bounty hunters cannot enter a home without a warrant.
     “Bail recovery agents, open the door now!” Ten seconds later, the front door bursts open in a thunderous crash, sending wood splinters flying like shrapnel from a hand grenade. The agents, or the more commonly called bounty hunters, charge into the home with weapons drawn. “Get out of here right now, let me see your warrant,” said the wizened old woman. “Warrant, we don’t need no stinking warrant,” the burly agent said facetiously. If you were a fugitive from justice cowering under a bed somewhere, you might someday find yourself in that predicament. According to the U.S. Supreme Court Center, bounty hunters were given broad authority by the 1872 United States Supreme Court case Taylor v. Taintor, which states in part, “[a] person charged in any State with treason, felony, or other crime shall, be delivered up to be removed to the State having jurisdiction of the crime (par.2). This gave the bounty hunter authority to act as the bondsman’s agent in recovering the bail jumper. Defendants who sign a bail bond contract essentially waive their constitutional rights and are at the mercy of the all mighty bounty hunter. With a certified copy of the revoked bond-in-hand, this expresses that the defendant is now a fugitive, and that the bounty hunter can enter private property without a warrant. They can enter a home without announcing their presence, use deadly force if needed, and temporarily imprison fugitives. Bounty hunters can also pursue and return a fugitive across state lines without having to wallow in the mire of red tape for an extradition process. The beauty of it all is that the hunters have more power then the police; however, the Taintor decision limits those powers to pursuing fugitives in an official capacity. It is unfortunate that a police officer’s case would implode if he acted by the rules governing bounty hunting. There would be a lot less crime if the police’s hands were not tied by a bureaucratic strangle hold. The bounty hunters tactics are by far more effective, in that, when the time comes to apprehend the fugitive, the bounty hunter law comes in effect, and the raw brute force separates the men with badges from the men with gumption.
Myth #2: Bounty hunters are un-regulated vigilantes.
Sure there are bounty hunters who march to the beat of their own drum by acting alone illegally. These lone wolves are devoid of scruples and are prone to using excessive violence in catching their man; however, a few bad men should not sully the reputations of many good men. According to the American Bail Coalition, the regulation of bounty hunters derives from the Uniform Criminal Extradition Act. It states in part […] a private person can arrest a fugitive accused of a crime in another state […][the accused must be brought before a judge or magistrate within 24 hours of arrest, whereupon he will be confined to allow for formal extradition process from the requesting state (par.6). Bounty hunters have come a long way since the days of the Wild West where it was common to see wanted posters that offered cash rewards for the capture of outlaws. Men like Pat Garrett, Bat Masterson, and the Texas Rangers would hit the trails to track down desperadoes and bring them back to justice, “dead, or alive.” If we enforced the “dead or alive” mantra today, maybe criminals would think twice before committing a felonious crime. According to Franklin Foer of Slate Online Magazine, “[b]ounty hunters are more efficient at returning criminals than police are. The National Association of Bail Enforcement Agents says that 14 percent of all bail jumpers are returned to authorities by bounty hunters. Law enforcement officers return 10 percent of skips… (par.8).
Myth #3: You can learn bounty hunting through a formal classroom environment.
     This is partly true; however, bounty hunters do have to meet special job requirements. Student bounty hunters need to be intelligent, resourceful, and have the cunning to outsmart and outthink the bail jumper. The prospective hunter cannot learn these things in a classroom. The best way to learn the ins and outs is by on the job training out on the streets, which is an education in itself. Many schools such as Kaplan University offer certification and even degree programs in bounty hunting. The American Bail Coalition sponsors seminars on the nuances of bounty hunting, as do many others in the industry. Law-enforcement experience is a plus, but not required; moreover, a great deal of bounty hunters are former or retired police officers or private investigators. This is probably not someone’s life long ambition for an occupation, but it is a safe bet to say that people who become bounty hunters stumble upon this occupation through circumstance.
     Bounty hunting is a time-honored profession that dates back hundreds of years. It has shades of vigilante justice, but so what. The idea is to get the fugitive, and bring him to justice to face a judge and jury who will decide his fate. Today’s bounty hunters are black sheep armed with the latest gadgetry and training to seize the fugitives when they least expect it. These sometimes rogue men and woman work behind the scenes and on the fringe of law enforcement. Therefore, if you are a fugitive from justice, I suggest that you use your extra set of eyes located in the back of your head, because the hunter is coming.