Are there women in the bail bonds industry?

The bail bonds industry is one which is primarily dominated by men due to the risk and danger involved in detaining a defendant should the need arise. Bail bonds evolved from the posse days when individuals were forced to take vigilante justice in rural areas where the government could not properly enforce their laws. Because of this the primary nature of the business has been dominated by a patriarchal mindset. A bail agent or bondsman is typically perceived to be a rough and rugged individual who is tenacious and determined however this is not always the case.

Although the role of a bounty hunter is one which does require a great level of risk, training, skill and tactics this is not the same thing as a bondsman or bail bonds agent. In recent years women have become dramatically more prevalent as bail agents and in some cases they are even found accepting roles in the bounty hunting or fugitive recovery sector as well. A good reason for this is due to the amount of ex-military women that exist in modern times. These women have already served their countries and put themselves in harm’s way to ensure the safety of the public and the nation. Former military and law enforcement females have begun migrating over to the bail bonds industry.

The most famous female in the industry is Beth Chapman. She is not just the wife of the famous Dog Chapman or "Dog the Bounty Hunter", she actually began her career when she was 21 and was the youngest women in the bail bonds industry in the state of Colorado at the time. She was involved in changes in legislation within Colorado as pertaining to the commercial bail industry and her reputation precedes her in the industry.

Although there are many more examples of women that are making huge strides in the bond industry their names remain hidden from the public. In actuality there are not many famous bondsman with public reputations except for the previously mentioned ones. Having mixed genders in the industry is a blessing in disguise for a variety of factors.

Women are typically more compassionate, caring, and have a stronger attention to detail than men statistically. Because of the nature of the industry being compassionate and comforting are qualities that benefit the clients in their times of need. The nature of the bail bonds industry is that a customer usually only contacts a bondsmen when they are in an emergency situation or are experiencing a crisis. Customers are typically vulnerable, scared, and unsure of what to expect. This is where a woman’s approach can become more valuable than a man’s to alleviate the concerns of the customer, defendant or family members that are involved in the incident.

Although the bail bonds industry is still primarily dominated by males, this is a trend which is starting to balance out on both sides of the gender divides. This is becoming more evident primarily in the larger metro cities where there are a couple of female exclusive bail bonds companies that are providing Los Angeles Bail Bonds in LA County.

An event was held on June 4th 2010 in Long Beach, California dedicated to the awareness of women in the bail enforcement industry. One of the topics of the event was the stigma of females announcing their line of work to others. In addition awards were given to the longest licensed female agent as well as the newest licensed female agents. Awareness events such as this are common in many industries and it is good to see a greater participation in this industry by both genders. In a nation such as the United States, women have made great strides to break down the gender barriers that previously restricted or carried stigmas as an occupation for females.

Statistically, females are more likely to carry the occupation of a licensed bail enforcement agent over a fugitive recovery agent or bounty hunter. Although females do exist in these roles they are more prevalent as the bonds agents and management roles. There is a growing trend of female business owners in the industry as well. In many cases these are mothers and sometimes widows who have inherited the business from their late husbands. Regardless of how the company is formed seeing a growth in female business owners in the commercial bail industry is a great step towards balancing the industry in the sense of gender roles.