Turned out an Inmate - Pull out Your Credit Card

There are dozens of situations when we can use credit cards. It seems like there is one more way we'll be able to use our plastics here soon. In St. Lucie a new system has been implemented. This system lets the arrested or their family members to bail with the help of a credit card. This new service has already proved itself useful for personnel in jail and millions of taxpayers who pay their taxes to keep the jail functioning. At the same time this special service is advantageous for a bailsman and his business.

This new system has been first implemented in August and by now it has helped 50 defendants to post their bails (totaling $50'000). Most of the crimes were rather trivial (suspended licenses or driving under the influence). The largest felony was worth $5000.

Yet no upper limit is set for the bail. As usually, the only limit is the credit line that depends on the credit score of the cardholder.

It costs $69 to keep an inmate for one day and all this money comes out of the taxpayers' pockets. Processing cash bails means a lot of work for the prison staff. For inmates is also inconvenient to use cash in order to post their bails. Agree, getting money at 3 in the morning is not that easy, especially when having those handcuffs. Moreover, banks don't work 24-hours a day.

It is normal that there are some people who are not quite pleased with this system. Easy to guess - it is the bondsmen who are easily pushed out of the business thanks to the new scheme. Just take into consideration those credit card system charges 3.2 percent for a loan against (compare) 10 percent that bondsmen normally charge their clients. Moreover, inmates will be able to save a few bucks if the credit card has got low APR.

Despite that bail bondsmen most likely have more negative than positive to say about the new system, they can be sure that the scheme will not leave them completely unemployed. There are about 9000 arrest warrants for the people released on bail. Those 9000 failed to show up in court. The current system, what is sad, is not able to hunt them all and lead to the court. As a result, bail bondsmen need to start the hunting in order to get what they have loaned back.

Bondmen often refuse to give credit to those having small bail amount. So, accepting credit cards should be rather handy.

All in all, it is possible to say that the new program has got potential. It is more convenient and (what is significant) cheaper. Other police stations might start the same practice in the near future if the program will prove itself to be useful.

Some expert still have doubts and worries. What about the inmates using stolen credit cards? Moreover, some see this new system as means for criminals to get out of jail way too easily and keep on doing their illegal activities. As you see, there are both pros and cons.

No need to worry because the system will certainly undergo severe testing. Only based on the testing procedure the sheriffs will decide whether to accept credit card offers or stick to the usual cash bails.

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