One of the world’s most exciting jobs.
A bounty hunter’s main job is to capturefugitives. For example, when someone gets arrested for a crime, they often have to wait for months before it’s time for their trial. During this time, the defendant may have to stay in prison. However, if they aren’t considered dangerous, the judge may setbail – an amount of money that must be paid if the defendant wants to avoid waiting in prison. In many cases, a bail agent (also known as a “bail bondsman”) is contracted by the family or friends of the defendant to pay the amount. Together they write a bail bond. This gives the defendant permission to leave prison. However, the defendant mustn’t leave the state or the country, and must go to court on the days established by the judge. If the defendant disappears, he or she becomes a fugitive (also known as a “bail jumper”). And when this happens, the bail agent could lose a lot of money as the bail agent must pay the total amount of bail if the fugitive never appears in court. Now, this is where the bounty hunter enters the picture.
It’s the bounty hunter’s job to find the defendant or the bail agent will lose money. Most times it’s just a question of making a phone call because the defendant has forgotten about the trial and just needs reminding. However, other times they’ve gone missing and are probably on their way to the Mexican or Canadian border. The bounty hunter (also known as a “bail enforcement agent” or “fugitive recovery agent”) must find the fugitive and bring them back… preferably alive.