Introduction When you watch the Bounty Hunting shows on Television, you may begin to wonder how to become one. The excitement, the fun, and the money all seem very appealing. The celebrity status is also something that really pulls people in. I wrote this course to take the “glitter and lights” from your eyes, and really show you what being a bounty hunter is about, how you can become one, and how you can make a lot of money as one! This course covers an overview of Bounty Hunting and how it really works. I wont pretend to have all the answers here, but I will give you just the “meat” information you need to get started with a high profit career as a bounty hunter. If you love the thrill of the chase, Bounty Hunting will be perfect for you. There is a lot of money to be made in Bounty Hunting if you train and continue to learn what is involved in this profession. Understanding and obtaining every tool possible will help you do your job and will aide in the investigations that you successfully do. It’s all about the bottom line, and that always comes down to money! So, let’s get started…
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Chapter 1: The Bounty Hunter Overview
Bondsmen hire independent contractors or bounty hunters to return a criminal back to court. Most police departments do not have time to follow up on all criminals who do not show up in court. There is always a new batch of criminals to arrest. For their skill and expertise at returning the criminal, they receive a percentage of the bail. Bounty hunters train to be able to basically trick the criminal, so they can obtain them and collect their “commission” for doing so. They have various ways to catch their subjects off guard. They use a technique called skip tracing using the computer and many other technologies to find the criminal’s location. Bounty hunters are very street savvy and resourceful. They know what questions to ask and where to go to get information on locating the fleeing criminal. You will find that most Bounty Hunters say their intuition is the key to their success, and that is a very true statement. Good people skills are always necessary to find out information from other people, to catch your criminal. Some of the people you come in contact with may not be very forthcoming with information, however, a good bounty hunter can get information out of just about anyone. You have to use common sense when trying to find the criminal without giving it away that you are looking for someone. Bounty Hunters can be very crafty. Always remember that your reputation will help you go far. Treat everyone well, and as if you’ll need them in the future. Burning bridges is something you’ll want to do only when you absolutely have to. Let’s talk a little bit about running into violence as a bounty hunter. On TV when you watch any bounty hunting show violence is something that sometimes can’t be avoided. So you must understand that violence is a possibility within the scope of your position as a bounty hunter, but it should only be used as a last resort when self defense is needed. Let’s face it, being a bounty hunter is a dangerous career to be in. There are many things within the job that cannot be controlled, so expect the unexpected. Once the criminal is detained by you as the Bounty Hunter, you must be able to talk with him. The trip back to turn your criminal in can calm a crazy situation down if you use your people skills. It’s your job to get the criminal. You know that and so does the criminal. 2|Page http://learnbountyhunting.com
You’re simply just doing your job, and it’s nothing personal. Use this angle, and see if you can use your life experience to inspire your criminal to get back on the straight and narrow path. It will make your trip back a little easier, just a few of your words could have a lasting impact on that person! So, where did this “bounty hunter stuff” get started? The skill of Bounty Hunting actually came from England many hundreds of years ago. It used to be that the bail was the actual person and not the money as it is today. If the criminal did not return to fact the penalty for his action, his custodian could face the penalty. So it was jail time, the custodian would have to do the time. It could also mean if the criminal was to be hung, the custodian could be hung in his place. As a result of the Habeas Corpus Act set up by the British Parliament in 1679, it changed from having the person be the bail to money being bail. The law actually stated: ... within two days after the party shall be brought before them, the said lord chancellor or lord keeper ... shall discharge the said prisoner from his imprisonment, taking his or their recognizance, with one or more surety or sureties, in any sum according to their discretions, having regard to the quality of the prisoner and nature of the offense, for his or their appearance in the court of the King's bench the term following ... This law was written in the US Constitution. It is known as the Eight Amendment which prohibited excessive bail. The US Judges defined what types of offenses would be bailable. The Bail Reform Act of 1966 allowed the criminal to be released on as little bail as possible. Bounty Hunters were given authority to act on behalf of the bail bondsmen. They could pursue them in other states and even attempt to enter his house if he thought the criminal was there. Today’s Bounty Hunters have to follow state’s restrictions but they are still free to pursue the criminal and arrest them across state borders. You may have also seen bounty hunters also referred to as other names include Bail Agent, Bail Enforcement Agent, Bail Officer, Fugitive Recovery Agent, Fugitive Recovery Officer, or Bail Fugitive Recovery Specialist. Now let’s switch gears just a bit here. I’ve skimmed over some of the information you’ll need as a bounty hunter, but let’s talk about some more specific topics… So, what exactly does a bounty hunter do? 3|Page http://learnbountyhunting.com
When an individual is charged with a crime, they are held until trial or released on a bond or surety that is supposed to keep them from skipping out. The bail is sometimes cash or property that is given up so that the individual shows up. Sometimes the individual doesn’t have the money or doesn’t want to go to jail so he leaves. There are a million different reasons why, and as a bounty hunter I’m sure you’ll hear a ton of them. However, when this does happen that’s where the Bounty Hunter comes in. The Bounty Hunter is hired the person who will lose the money to the court. The Bounty Hunter has only a set time to catch them before the bond is forfeited and the money or property is lost. As I said, being a Bounty Hunter may not be as glamorous as you see on the television. It’s very hard work and you may find yourself in some places that you don’t want to be in. Think about it… A criminal who’s attempting to flee court will probably not stay at the Hilton while he’s hiding out. Most criminals will know that things such as credit cards will be traced and walking around with that type of money just may not be possible. Because the Bounty Hunter position is so unpredictable, you may find you have to work other jobs as well. When considering that you only get paid when you return the criminal, you may find you need to compensate your income in some way. Once you get really good at what you do, build your reputation, and really market yourself, that won’t be the case though. Be prepared to do what you need to do when getting started though! Man correctional and police officers have used their experiences to become Bounty Hunters. In addition Private Detectives also make good Bounty Hunters because of the ”skip tracing” skills in finding people. Bounty Hunters know the laws regarding bail investigations in and out. When deciding to become one, you also must know the laws inside and out. Many bounty hunters have gone to school for becoming a Bounty Hunter either online or physically within a classroom setting. They may also have a mentor who shows them what the job really looks like. You will be able to kick down doors and go across states to pursue a criminal without a warrant. You will also not need permission to use wiretaps or bugs. You can also set up a surveillance video without asking local law enforcement. As a Bounty Hunter you will enjoy tracking down the deadbeat criminals and obtain satisfaction from putting the criminals back behind bars where they belong. 4|Page http://learnbountyhunting.com
Bounty Hunters do not fear tracking down the criminals. They wear protective gear which will help reduce harm. You can also choose to work with partners. The more people you have around you, the less it will take to bring the criminal back. Now of course, we know that bounty hunting is not for everyone, and we understand that. By doing your research and deciding how you’re going to learn to be a bounty hunter, you will be able to assess the position before signing up to be a full time Bounty Hunter. Let’s talk a little bit about the bounty hunter license… Some states require a license to become a Bounty Hunter. Most states have laws regarding what type of hunting you can do whether it be physical or not. If a state makes it unlawful to physically hunt a criminal, the Bounty Hunter must use investigation and skip tracing abilities to bring him in. This changes the scope of the job, so it is important to know all phases of the job. You must follow the applicable laws where the criminal currently is. Here’s a list of the states where physical hunting is banned, allowed, and the states where you don’t have to have a license or training. States where physical hunting is banned: District of Columbia Illinois Kentucky North Carolina Oregon South Carolina Wisconsin Physical Hunting allowed: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii 5|Page http://learnbountyhunting.com
Idaho Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wyoming No training or license required: Maine Massachusetts Michigan Montana Nebraska New Jersey Rhode Island - Simple Pledge Wyoming 6|Page http://learnbountyhunting.com
Why You Need A License To Be A Bounty Hunter You cannot become a Bounty Hunter without research and training. Otherwise you are a civilian who is taking the law into his or her own hands. That’s a vigilantly, and shouldn’t be confused with being a bounty hunter. You must have knowledge of how the bail bonds system works, and the laws that go along with it. It is a skill that takes time to perfect so that you not only stay safe, but so that you can be a skilled bounty hunter who makes the big bucks! Bounty Hunters have skills in skip tracing, negotiation, being very perceptive and also great surveillance abilities. You must know how to research and look for individuals. You have to be able to look into a criminal’s past and review all possible previous residences. By completing your research you will learn a lot about the criminal you are pursuing. You will know his friends and the places he hangs out among many other things. If you do not have a license, you cannot be paid legally for bringing back a criminal. You may also run into law problems for doing this type of work without a license. As with any job, you need to make sure you have researched and completed training before you begin as a Bounty Hunter. Know the laws, know what you need legally to complete your job, and you’ll be less likely to find yourself on the wrong end of the law. Now let’s talk about how you get paid as a bounty hunter.
How You Get Paid As A Bounty Hunter As a licensed Bounty Hunter, you can find criminals wanted by local, state, and federal authorities. When you bring these criminals back to justice, your reward can be $50,000 or more. Now don’t get me wrong, when you first get started, you’ll probably be looking at rewards from $500 - $5,000 at best. However, as I said, the more you build your reputation and market yourself, the more money you’ll make. Another perk is you’ll be making your own hours, and deciding when/if you want to work! Are you currently able to do that at your real job? If so, count yourself lucky. Not only is the pay as a bounty hunter attractive, but so is the schedule. You can also work 7|Page http://learnbountyhunting.com
from home or your own office earning money that helps bring criminals back to pay for what they did. That in its self is as rewarding as the money for most bounty hunters. Their true passion is bringing the bad guys in, and the money and fame is just icing on the cake.
Is this interesting? Do you like what you’ve read so far? Read the rest at learnbountyhunting.com
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Additional resources
Getting Advice on Becoming a Bounty Hunter http://www.squidoo.com/gettingadvice-on-becoming-a-bounty-hunter Are you interested in becoming a bounty hunter, but you don't know where to get started? This lens will point you in the right direction. Question: Who is the...
Gaining Bounty Hunter Training http://www.squidoo.com/gaining-bounty-hunter-training Bounty hunters have long since been a staple of action-adventure movies and tv shows. That's where a lot of people get their knowledge about bounty hunting. But...
Bounty Hunting and Skip Tracing http://www.squidoo.com/bounty-hunting-and-skip-tracing Due to the nature of bounty hunting, bounty hunters have to have a wide array of skills. They have to be pretty good and performing them too. However, if...
Bounty Hunting Licenses Explained http://www.squidoo.com/bounty-hunting-license Bounty hunters are people who apprehend people who try to escape the long arm of justice. Though bounty hunters work their own hours and get paid to be big...
