Bail is a word you typically hear when you discuss jail and an arrest. You might need to pay bail if you got arrested, or you might need to help a friend who is stuck behind bars. Bail is an important part of the criminal process, and many people do not understand how it works or why it is available. If you do not know much about it, here are three facts that can help you learn bail basics.

1. The Purpose of Bail

Before you learn anything else about bail, you might benefit by starting with understanding its purpose. Courts offer bail to inmates for several reasons:

• Paying bail eliminates overcrowding in jail
• Paying bail secures a person's return to court for the hearings on a matter
• Paying bail requires commitment and has potential consequences

Courts do not let people get out of jail for free in most cases. Instead, they make them pay for their releases. Bail is the money they pay for the release. You can call this bail, bond, or a bail bond. These terms mean different things, but they all refer to a person's release from jail.

2. Options for Paying Bail

Next, you should consider the options for paying the bail. If you or a friend are in jail, what options do you have? There are several options, but the two main ones are paying a cash bail and paying with a bail bond.

A cash bail means that you pay the cash to the jail for the release. If you do not have the cash, you can hire a bail bond agent. If you use a bail bond agent, you pay them a fee, and they pay the remaining balance. Courts call this a bail bond because it utilizes a third-party for the release.

3. Rules With Bail

The third fact about bail is that it comes with rules. When you pay the bail, you get out of jail, but you do not get out of the criminal charges. You must agree to do many things, such as returning for your hearing, and you must agree to avoid other things. A bail bond agent can explain these rules to you.

If you get out of jail on bail, it is vital to understand these things, especially the rules. Bail helps you get out of jail before your case concludes, but it does not get you off the hook for your criminal charges.

If you need assistance with your bail or a friend's bail, you can get help by contacting bail bond services in your area.