Dangers of Awaiting Your Trial in Jail

Currently, more than 400,000 people in the US are in jail as they await their trial. Some people choose to stay in detention as they cannot afford bail.

Bail bonds are a ready solution for anyone who cannot afford to post bail. Bail bonds work as an agreement between a defendant and a bail bondsman, where the defendant agrees to appear for trial, and the bail bondsman posts their bail. This payment allows the defendant to stay out of jail as they await trial.

Bail bondsmen charge the defendant a specific percent of the bail amount in return for their service. But, some people may feel that paying a bondsman wastes money and opt to await their trial in jail. However, pre-trial jail time may do more harm than good.

This article discusses some of the dangers of awaiting your trial in jail. 

Staying in jail as you await your hearing risks your job. Your employer may allow you time off work to handle your case matters. But they likely will be unwilling to retain your post if you spend weeks in jail. In such a case, you risk losing your livelihood when you need it the most. 

Whether or not you are guilty, your employee may fire you once they realize you got arrested. And as you await your hearing, you will need legal representation. If you lose your job while in jail, you'll have no income to pay your lawyer.

Besides, losing your job as you await trial may reflect poorly on your case, as the judge may perceive you as irresponsible. Therefore, opt for a bail bond if there is a chance you can get released from jail.

The time you spend waiting for your trial is given so you can prepare your defense. But when you are in jail, it is hard to collaborate with your lawyer to find evidence to prove your innocence.

Preparing your defense means talking to witnesses, consulting specialists, gathering relevant documentation, and conducting extensive investigations. When you are behind bars, doing all these activities is difficult.

For instance, if you have something that can prove your innocence in your house, you cannot get it when you are in jail. You will have to send someone to work on your behalf to find evidence for your case, which slows down the process of building your defense.

Anything you say after you get arrested is admissible in court as evidence against you. Even a slip of the tongue can make it hard for you to convince the judge of your innocence. 

Awaiting your trial in jail is like spending time at the enemy's camp. In jail, you interact with police officers and inmates, and the prosecution may decide to use them as witnesses in court. Any damaging information the people you interact with in jail get can ruin your chances of winning your case.

Violence and harassment are frequent in prison, with 19 percent of prisoners reporting violence from fellow incarcerated inmates and 21 percent complaining about violence from prison officers.

Not every person in a jail cell is innocent. Some are repeat offenders who take no issue with roughing you up to assert dominance. Thus, if you end up in the wrong cell, you risk suffering violence or harassment at the hands of a criminal.



If you want to avoid the above dangers, talk to a bail bondsman as soon as the judge sets your bail amount. Contact Matt McKeehan Bail Bonds today if you need help staying out of jail.