Make America Safe: A bail bondsman's story

By Kirk Shaw

Life of a New Jersey bail bondsman, showing how the bail industry has changed throughout the years. Headlines exposing a lawless society, spiraling out of control, that needs to be reined back in. Criminals should be held accountable for their actions in a fair and rational way. In order to create a safer society, especially for those in indigent communities, the game of catch and release needs to end.

The negative impact of Bail Reform, replacing the human element of judges by computer algorithms, isn't working. The Corona Virus now in play, opening the jail doors, creating the perfect criminal storm. Unfortunately, Bail Reform has become a democratic and republican issue, instead of a safety issue. Allowing complete anarchy is not going to fix the divide within our country.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098320140

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©2020 Kirk Shaw.

Some names and identifying details have been omitted or changed to protect the privacy of individuals. Book’s content is based on author’s opinion and his interpretation of events. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author. For permissions contact:

[e-mail]

ISBN: 978-1-09832-013-3 (print)

ISBN: 978-1-09832-014-0 (ebook)

Contents

Chapter 1: The Rise and Fall of a New Jersey Bail Bondsman

Chapter 2: Bail Reform Debacle

Chapter 3: Growing up Jersey

Chapter 4: Bail Life

Chapter 5 The Beginning Of The End

Chapter 6: NJ Soft on Crime Initiative Begins

Chapter 7: Democratic Assemblyman Saves The Day... Almost.

Chapter 8: The End of Monetary Bail, The Beginning of Anarchy

Chapter 9: New York Joins New Jersey In Bail Reform

Chapter 10: Open the Jail Doors...The Corona Virus coming!

Chapter 1:

The Rise and Fall

of a New Jersey Bail Bondsman

Welcome to the new New Jersey, where accountability is dead and gone. There is no longer deterrent for criminals, no longer regard for victims and their safety. Skin in the game is a thing of the past, and supervision that actually works, now ceases to exist. New Jersey Bail Reform is dangerous, and an enormous financial burden on NJ taxpayers.

On May 2019, the doors to Kirk Shaw Bail Bonds permanently closed. After almost forty years, working out of my Hackensack office, located directly across the street from the Bergen County Jail, I loaded up a Uhaul with all of my files, and never looked back.

The previous year was a rough one, I had to let my employees go. It made no sense to keep paying for workers with only sporadic business coming in. After the layoffs, for a short bit, I tried keeping the office open, with myself as the only employee. Even though bails were now a rarety, there was still a lot of work to be done. Unfortunately, this work was more about cleaning up messes and not bringing in much cash. As the months dragged on, I could no longer afford to waste money on my rent. This was the last thing that I wanted to face. Deep inside, I knew I should have closed down my business probably two years back, but this wasn’t just a workplace, this was my second home. And one of the last reminders I had of my dad.

My office walls were covered with family pictures, some cool images of my dad’s boxers, autographed memorabilia, and of course, scuba diving pictures, my favorite pastime. The office was originally my father’s. I started off working there, under him, eventually taking over the business. Being a bail bondsman wasn’t a nine to five job. I was there working around the clock, bailing people out twenty-four hours a day. Even when I had several employees working all different shifts, I was still always bouncing in, overseeing everything.

My dad’s Hackensack office, back in 1980.

My office, right before it closed.

Back in the day, there was always a lot of money coming in, and I never wanted too much cash ever lingering around. Don’t get the wrong idea, this was no glamorous job. My office, along with all the other bail agents who worked on that strip, was inundated with rats, literally, and constantly battling flood damage. And if you ever divided the amount of hours that we worked by the cash we took in, it wasn’t much.

That day that when I was forced to pack up, I certainly wasn’t the only New Jersey bail agent in trouble that year. About 1,000 other agents were also out of business, and about hundred other agencies shut down, too. What used to look like Bail Row, directly across the street from the Bergen County Jail, now looked like a ghost town. My main competitors, who were located next door to me, were also out of business. It was a great run, an important job, and I’m still hoping that bail comes back one day.

New Jersey became the first state to spearhead Bail Reform. Although there were four other states that had their own systems in place, New Jersey would be the first to implement such drastic changes to the United States Constitutional Right of Bail. Since the execution of Bail Reform, I have spent several years attempting to put together a book, I wanted people to understand what went on behind the scenes, and how current Bail Reform Laws negatively impact victims and taxpayers. Making adjustments to the criminal justice system is one thing, and it was necessary, but to take bail away, entirely, is another. Bail bondsmen throughout our country provided an important service, at no cost to tax payers, and taking this service away leaves a detrimental impact on law abiding citizens.

Let me start with the now, March 2020, the month that the United States will never forget. The time where almost the entire country is, basically, on Lock Down. Other than essential workers, people throughout the world are unemployed and home quarantined. Hospitals are overflowing, people are scared to death. COVID-19, otherwise known as Coronavirus, has spread from its original source of China, into Italy, France, most other countries, as well as taking hold in the United States of America. Because of this highly contagious pandemic, hundreds of jails, throughout our country, have been ordered to open up their doors, and free many of their inmates. New Jersey and New York take the lead.

Opening the Flood Gates

Outrage can be viewed all over social media, Why are they letting dangerous criminals back on the street, when we aren’t even allowed out of our homes?.

March 28, 2020 Freehold, New Jersey. Monmouth County Sheriff turns to National Media, voicing his concern over the release of hundreds of inmates that are claimed to be non-violent. Those in law enforcement know, what the public is being told, isn’t the truth. As Governor Murphy shares his excitement for letting out around nine hundred low level offenders, claiming it’s a Ground Breaking Program, the general public is being mislead. As The Monmouth County Sheriff states, some of these low impact, non violent criminals that Governor Murphy is excited to release, consists of, Those that have assaulted police officers, assault on a K-9, resisting arrest, sexual offenders that have failed to register, throwing bodily fluids on police officers, and the list goes on. This irresponsible agenda was rapidly pushed through the courts from the ACLU. No law enforcement were ever consulted before granting inmate releases. Who is giving the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) this kind of power and why? According to the Monmouth County Sheriff, appropriate common sense safety measures were already in place. There were video visitations, free phone calls, as well as quarantining of all new inmates. The truth is, all New Jersey jails are not overcrowded. With appropriate safety measures in place, there is no reason to open the jail doors. Many inmates would have been safer in jail, then to be tossed out into the streets. Release on tuesday, arrested again on wednesday, is the new normal. Draining resources and impacting public safety.

March 28, 2020 Albany, NY. New York Governor orders 1,100 inmates released due to the Coronavirus. Back in New Jersey, April 3, 2020, there are reports everywhere of offenders being charged for spitting and coughing on police officers, claiming that they have the Corona Virus. Six people so far facing criminal charges. By April 11th, there were dozens charged. New Jersey Governor Murphy was on the news calling those charged, Knuckleheads and that they would receive up to a $10,000 fine and 18 months behind bars. This makes no sense. Why have New Jersey police offices risk their lives to make arrests, to only immediately release these Knuckleheads? Unfortunately, Governor Murphy’s threat has no clout. Anyone spitting and coughing on cops are either career criminals or mentaly ill and neither should be on the streets. However, spitting on a cop is no longer considered a serious offense, unlikely there will be any jail time involved. Prior to Bail Reform, a governor’s word would have actually mattered. Post Bail Reform, the State Supreme Court decided that if a person doesn’t pay their fines a warrant can not be issued. Which means, a threat of $10,000 if you spit on a cop, really means nothing.

As news’ outlets attempt to inform the public that the only inmates being freed from jails are those that commited low level crimes, police officials and those inside, continue to say otherwise. Obviously, there’s logic to releasing actual low level inmates, especially elderly and immunocompromised ones, for safety of inmates and safety of staff. However, there is a flip side. Some of these inmates released were homeless, or mentally ill. Others released, should have never been considered low level. For example, a Newburgh, New York man was arrested on March 24, 2020 for an assault, stemming from a domestic violence incident. Due to the New York State Bail Reform Law, he was immediately released. Two days later, he was accused of attempted murder and arson. The police found him on the Newburgh Beacon Bridge, threatening to jump. Disgusted residents, Why was this man released? Was there even a mental health evaluation?.

In attempt to stop the spread of the Coronavirus, the New York Mayor now orders the release of about three hundred inmates from Rikers Island. The public was assured that these three hundred inmates were low level misdemeanors and non violent felonies. Several correctional officers stated that many of the released are not low level. They are, in-fact,