This week I am spending Spring Break with my family. As I spend time relaxing with my wife Tracey and our kids, I am reminded of how lucky I am to have my family. What most people do not realize is that the bail bond business is very much a family business.
Throughout the United States, bail agencies are operated largely as family businesses, where husbands and wives, their children, and in some cases grandchildren work side by side providing a valuable service to their community and the criminal justice system. These small businesses are what America is all about. Independent, entrepreneurial enterprises where generations of family members work together to support their families and serve their clients. Unfortunately, popular media stereotypes of the bail bond industry portray a false and distorted image of bail agents as greedy, flashy and unseemly members of the criminal underclass. This false portrayal could not be further from the truth. In fact, today, more than one-half of the bail agents, including many of the best ones, are women.
Recently, I had the good fortune to speak before a large group of bail agents at a state association meeting. Yes, bail agents do work together to improve their profession and participate in continuing education. I reminded the group of agents how their daily work literally saves families and lives. By responsibly helping individuals charged with crimes get out of jail pending trial, our industry helps these individuals get back to work to help support their families. By working with a defendant and their families, bail agents encourage good behavior, which helps reduce criminal recidivism and avoid further crimes.
Bail agents and their surety companies support local charities and are involved in community affairs. Just this year, three bail agents were elected to their respective State Houses of Representatives. Personally, I am very proud of our agents and hope more people recognize that bail agents are decent, hard working members of their communities.
Please stay tuned for further commentary on this topic. It is one that I strongly believe in and one that I think is extremely important that the bail bond industry overcome.
I encourage your comments.
Monday, April 12, 2010
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About Me
- Behind the Paper with Brian Nairin
- Brian Nairin is a nationally recognized expert in bail law who graduated with honors from Loyola Law School and was admitted to the California Bar in 1989. In 1997, Brian became President of Associated Bond. In the same year, he was elected President of the National Association of Bail Insurance Companies (NABIC), which was recently replaced by the American Bail Coalition (ABC). Brian serves as an officer of International Fidelity Insurance Company (IFIC) and Allegheny Casualty Company (ACC). In 2003, the bail underwriting functions of IFIC and ACC for the entire United States were moved to Calabasas in 2003 under the direction and leadership of Brian where he became President and CEO of what is now the AIA family of companies. Additionally, Brian has served as the primary educator for the California Bail Agents Association’s (CBAA) continuing education curriculum. Moreover, Brian has been retained to serve as an expert in numerous litigation and regulatory matters relating to bail. He has also served on the Board of Directors of Strike Back!
I enjoyed reading your post and agree that bail bonds carry an overly negative stereotype in the media. Bail bonds have their place in society and shouldn't be frowned on. It definitely reminded me of this article I had read http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12200537. Keep up the good work.
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