Following the law is just a decent way to live. If everyone followed all of the rules, lawyers wouldn’t have a job, so attorneys are a bit torn here. Today, you might want to consider something that most law-abiding people never think. How much would it cost you if you were arrested? The explanation is that violating the law charges you a great deal of money. Even if you did not violate the law, it takes money to prove it.
The Cost of Breaking the Law
Suppose you are arrested and put on probation instead of prison time. In that case, that probation is administered by a non-profit organization, and you must pay for their services. It will cost you approximately $55 each month. If drug testing is requested, each test will cost between $35 and $45 per test. Volunteering for community programs will also cost you a fortune. Yes, you read it right—you pay to serve. If you must attend therapy, you will be charged at least $10 for each session.
If you have the displeasure of being imprisoned, it will also cost you money. The sheriff’s department provides a handbook that notes a daily fee for meals and a price for personal grooming products and some pieces of clothing. You will not be permitted to use your mobile phone or any other phone in the prison unless you first acquire the capacity to make phone calls. This might cost several hundred dollars each month.
Bond Payment
The first expense of being arrested has to be bail. When you have a run-in with the law, the court places a bail on your case. Bail usually ranges from $1,000 to $2,500 for misdemeanors and can reach up to $50,000 or $100,000 for serious crimes. You must pay a bail bondsman 10% of the bond sum to get you out of prison.
This isn’t a charge you can pay while in prison, so presuming you have to repay the person who delivers your bail; you’ll have to give your rescuer a least $100 to get out. Also, keep in mind that bonds paid to bondsmen are non-refundable. You will not get your money back if you are proven not guilty.
Fees for Attorneys
Attorney’s costs are the second expense connected with being arrested. Lawyers are too costly for the majority of Americans, let alone in the world’s poorer regions. Consequently, the vast majority of individuals who need legal counsel and representation do not get it. People can lose their homes, get inadequate treatment, or even have their lives jeopardized due to this.
A recent National Public Radio report highlighted the predicament of political asylum seekers whom lawyers do not represent. Most lose their cases and, rather than returning to dangerous circumstances, go underground, joining the millions of illegal immigrants who dread their next traffic check.
Now, depending on the crime, you might expect to pay approximately $1,000 to $10,000 for a minor misdemeanor penalty. In the event of a severe charge, such as murder, attorney’s costs may potentially exceed $100,000. Keep in mind that this fee is just for you to have legal counsel in court.
Costs of the Court, Fines, and Restitution
The third expense of being arrested is the cost of court, penalties, and restitution. When the district attorney files charges against the accused, even if they agree to drop the charges, they often want the defendant to pay court fees or the expense to the county simply for pursuing the charges against you(through the district attorney). Fees can range from $200 to $900, at least at the time of the writing of this post.
Furthermore, if you decide to plead guilty, you will be fined even though you do not go to prison. You may end up paying penalties in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Suppose you cause damage to anything or steal someone’s property. In that case, the justice system will compel you to pay restitution to the complainant for the worth of damages caused to or taken from them.
Probation
The fourth expense of being arrested is probation and all that comes with it. If you enter a guilty plea, you might not be imprisoned but rather sentenced to probation, which requires you to report to a probation officer once a month. You are often required to pay $40 to $50 a month simply for the opportunity of being on probation. If you are unable to do so and skip a monthly meeting, you may find yourself in prison for breaching your probation.
As you can see, being arrested may be very costly. And this is in addition to the possibility of being imprisoned for a length of time. The primary line is to keep your nose clean, follow the law, and, if you don’t, save money because the cost of crime is enormous.
