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The bail bond industry dates back to the early settlers in America. A bondsman fronts the money for the bond so those who had committed non-threatening crimes to be released from custody until their court date.
The bail bondsman then charges the defendant a fee to provide these services. This system has relied on physical visits by the bondsmen, extensive paperwork and payments being made in cash or a personal check.
However, the advancements in technology – like artificial intelligence – is changing the way the bail bond industry conducts business.
Case Management Software
Technological innovations have resulted in the development of specialized software that is specifically designed for the bail bond industry. These software applications allow agencies to streamline paperwork, generate court date reminders, collect payment transactions and assist with case management and release conditions.
In years past, collecting the information for a bail application was long and exhaustive. This process could take a lot of time and multiple visits to the jail to make sure that the information was correct and in compliance with the law.
By utilizing a bail bond software program, information is entered and collected in a faster and secure manner. This reduces the risk of human error and increases the agency’s efficiency. From this information, court dates and condition releases can be tracked and managed without frequent physical visits.
Online payment information can be obtained through the software as well, eliminating the need for cash payments. Collecting payments via credit or debit card, or through an online platform offers the bail bond agency the security and trackability of payments from clients.
Mobile Applications
In today’s world, almost everyone has a smartphone, and on that smartphone are mobile applications. The bail bond industry has found that the use of these mobile applications allow them to track their clients in real-time, physical visits have become app check-ins, and reminders are delivered instantaneously.
The mobile applications have the ability to send notifications to the defendant about upcoming court dates, document submissions, and payment due dates. The bail bond agency can utilize the mobile app to access a client’s records at a moment’s notice. These apps can also reduce the risk of information being stored in unsecure locations.
Artificial Intelligence
The use of artificial intelligence in the bail bond industry has completely changed the way they do business. Traditionally, bondsmen would have to rely on information from the defendant, manual checks and human judgment to determine a person’s past crimes, flight risk and if they are likely to appear for court dates. The data that AI can collect will produce a risk assessment of individuals and dive into their employment history, social media, and relationships to determine if they will comply with the court while on pretrial release.
The use of AI can remove any biases and allow for a more accurate prediction of bail compliance. The ability to have an informed decision-making tool like AI can bring balance to both the defendant and the bond agency.
Final Thought: AI and Tech in Bail Bonds
As technology advances and changes, the bail bond industry is on a transformative journey. Once a traditional sector of business, it too must change and evolve to benefit both the client and the agency.
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