Tonya Page-Rynerson

In the wake of California's Realignment Plan, county jails are faced with the dilemma of keeping down the growing inmate population. As more sentenced prisoners are sent to local detention facilities, counties need to decide what to do with pretrial inmates in order to free up space in the jails.

Most people have never needed to bail someone out of jail before. The only thing they know about the bail industry is what they have seen on television, and because of that, people often believe that all bondsmen are big, burly, biker-guys with tattoos and long beards who sit in smoke-filled offices and throw darts all day.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff has finally agreed to shut down the old section of the county's notorious Men's Central Jail. The old section of the jail has long been at the center of some of the most violent clashes between inmates and deputies.

In 2008, the Orange County Sheriff's Department began taken precautionary measures for budgetary issues by creating the position of Correctional Services Assistants (CSA). CSAs are civilian employees who are hired to fill positions at county jails that are traditionally held by sworn sheriff's deputies.

If you have been asked to help bail someone out of jail you will likely call on the assistance of an expert bail bondsman. Most people have never imagined that they'd need to call a bail bondsman and it's natural to have questions regarding the qualifications and credentials of the person they are about to trust with such a delicate situation.

The Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County uses $3 million in electricity every year, about the amount needed to power a small town. To help meet those vast needs for power, the jail has taken steps towards going green with the use of its own electrical grid, which combines wind, solar and fuel cell power.

In the United States all persons charged with a crime have the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. If a person is not charged with a crime that is punishable by death they have the right to bail, which means they have the right to be released from jail pending their trial.

It has been fifteen years since the nation watched the news of a bank robbery in North Hollywood that turned into a 44-minute shooting spree between the heavily-armed robbers and law enforcement officers.

If a person has been arrested and charged with a crime it is not uncommon for them to be released on bail pending their trial. People need to keep in mind, though, that just because they have been granted a temporary release from jail, this is not to say their legal issues are over. The defendant must still return to court on a set date and time in order to have the matter decided by a judge. In fact, there may be several court appearances required depending on the case.

When you learn someone you care for has been arrested it feels as if you head has started to spin. Most people go their whole lives without needing to bail someone out of jail and because of that, very few people are familiar with what bail bonds are and how the process works.