Research Paper: Fugitive Recovery Agents / Bounty Hunters
For this research paper on fugitive recovery agents (bounty hunters) this essay will need to be at least 1200 words long. Include at least 5 sources to this research paper,
Research Paper: Fugitive Recovery Agents / Bounty Hunters
Abstract
There has been an increase in public criticism of the manner that the bounty hunters use in the implementation of their mandate. In this case, the bounty officers have been involved in killings, violence, and violation of fundamental human rights as well as breaking the same law they are supposed to protect. Acts of violation of the law and violence have made the public to view the agents as a deadly force or criminals. In other instances, the bounty hunters have been arrested for their illegal acts and operations. The operations and activities of bounty officers call for research on their mandate, responsibilities, powers, scope of work as well as their limitations as legally stated.
Introduction
Fugitive recovery agents are crucial people in the criminal justice for the role they play but their powers and responsibilities are issues that have been debated in the society. The fugitive recovery agents commonly known as bounty hunters are tasked with the role of tracking down and capturing fugitives. In the event, a suspect or any other individual fails to show up in courts or violate terms of their bail or release then the bounty hunters are used to apprehending them. The bounty hunters, therefore, play a significant role in ensuring the criminal justice achieves its goals and objectives of restoration, retribution, and appropriate identification of offenders, deference and fair adjudication. The bounty hunters thus assist the criminal justice system in meeting the goals and objectives. However, the issue arises on the way and manner of implementation of their roles and mandate. There are controversies and criticism that the bounty hunters have excess power, overstep on their mandate, use violence and violate the citizens’ rights under the bill of rights. The research paper aims at understanding the powers and responsibilities of bounty hunters as well as the legal, social constraints that define their limits and scope of work in implementing their mandate. Fugitive recovery agents play a significant role in criminal justice but their mandate, roles, power scope of work and limits need to be defined to ensure they operate effectively and efficiently.
Equipment and Methodology
The research entails establishing the actual operation of bounty hunters on the ground in terms of implementing their mandate. The research will involve interacting with the members of the public that have come into contact with bounty hunters or have experienced or heard the operation of the bounty hunters. First, the research begins by identifying respondents from across society. The respondents, in this case, will be prisoners, general members of the society and professionals in the criminal justice system.
The collection of data will be done through interviews, distribution of questionnaires, and observation. The interviews will include asking respondents direct questions as they answer, questionnaires will be distributed to the respondents and they will return them on filling the various questions while observation will entail observing the operations as well as scars and destructions left behind by the bounty hunters. Additionally, the questions asked in interviews and questionnaires will be directed towards establishing the conduct of the bounty hunters as well as the recommendations the members of the public would give to change their operations.
Results
The general results of the research indicated that the members of the public were not satisfied with the operations and implementations of the bounty hunters. However, on the other side, some members of the public indicated that they were satisfied with the operations of the bounty hunters as despite the mode of operations used they end up meeting their goals of bringing the violators of the law to justice.
The members of the public identified several ways that they were not satisfied with the work of the bounty hunters. In this case, the bounty hunters were involved in the killing of people they were apprehending (Baker, Vaughn and Topalli, 2008). The bounty hunters use weapons in attacking the fugitives ending up hurting and killing them before they are brought to justice. Consequently, the bounty hunters have been accused in apprehending and arresting the wrong people in the course of operations. Arresting the wrong people puts such people in mental torture and wastes their time. Furthermore, bounty hunters have been accused of using excessive violence when handling fugitives and suspects thus hurting them and destroying their lives. More so, bounty hunters have been accused of perpetuating corruption activities by accepting bribes from fugitives and letting them escape the law once they apprehend them (Fisher, 2009). This approach makes them obstruct justice. Moreover, the research found that bounty hunters were involved in illegal confiscation or stealing valuables, properties, money and wealth from their victims. They take valuables and properties for their benefit at the expense of the victim or plaintiff. Finally, the research established that the bounty hunters were accused of racial discrimination. In this case, they employ favors to races of preferences in the course of implementing their mandate. Therefore, in general, the bounty hunters have been involved in criminal and illegal activities in the course of implementing their mandate.
Assignment help – Discussions and Arguments
First, the discussions will engage in establishing the legal, social and ethical powers and responsibilities. The understanding of the powers and responsibilities will enable the researcher to establish the conflicting issues in terms of the way the bounty hunters are expected to work and behave as compared to their actual conduct (Robin, 2006). The bounty hunters have the power to track down and capture fugitives and bring them to justice. The bounty hunters work under the private bail industry and their powers and responsibilities largely depend on the states they live.
The responsibility of a bounty hunter is to run after individuals that skip county bails. The bail agencies hire bounty hunters to locate fugitives and return them to custody. Most of the fugitives face serious charges that are related to robbery, murder, or rape. The responsibilities of a bounty hunter in implementing their role include performing background checks on the fugitives they are hunting (Freeland, 2009). The background checks entail the history and the events surrounding the illegal activity they have committed to ascertain that they are apprehending the right persons. The bounty hunters further review cases and conduct extra investigations. The bounty hunters go into the details of various cases to link the suspects or fugitives with the crime in questions. The gathering of evidence ensures the goals and objectives of criminal justice are met (Rahim, 2017). It is the responsibility of the bounty hunter to act and conduct their operations within the laws of the countries or states they operate in. The bounty hunters should never contradict or act against the laws in their respective jurisdictions. Equally important, the bounty should comply with local laws and regulations that dictate the handling of fugitives and suspects. The respect of the various laws ensures that they enhance justice and fairness in the criminal justice system. The bounty hunters are tasked with conducting surveillance. In this case, the follow and observe the suspect while recording issues of importance to be used as evidence. The approach ensures that the right persons are apprehended and brought to justice. Additionally, the bounty officers are required to cooperate with the local police department in the course of implementing their activities. The cooperation with the local police ensures that justice is upheld and the two are reading from the same script by working together. Finally, the bounty hunters need to gather and analyze evidence to ensure that justice is served. Having the right and appropriate evidence assures the criminal justice system that proper standards are observed.
On the powers of the bounty hunters, they are required to work and operate under the bail bond agency. The bounty hunters are not allowed to work and operate in their private capacity they are regulated (Beisner et al., 2004). The bounty hunters are not allowed to wear badges or colors as the law enforcers do. This approach ensures that they can be differentiated from the laws enforcers. Lastly, the bounty hunters are only mandated to operate within their borders.
Comparing the powers and responsibilities of bounty hunters and their actual operations indicates that they are involved in breaking and violating the law. The activities identified in the research contradict the actual powers and responsibilities that are attached to the bounty officer.
Conclusion
The bounty hunters have been regularly involved in breaking the laws by operating beyond their scope, violating human rights, using violence and this need to be addressed. In this case, proper and informed reforms need to be incorporated in the criminal justice system in terms of regulating the bounty hunters. The reforms will streamline the operations of the bounty hunters such that they observe the right code of conduct while implementing their mandate. The reforms that need to be adopted include abolishing the bounty hunters as in the case of Wisconsin, Oregon, Kentucky, and Illinois, educating and training the bounty hunters, regulating bounty hunters in organizations such as National Association of Fugitive Recovery Agents and vetting bounty hunters. The reforms will ensure that there are smooth operations in apprehending fugitives and suspects by bounty hunters.
References
Baker, S. M., Vaughn, M. S., & Topalli, V. (2008). A review of the powers of bail bond agents and bounty hunters: Exploring legalities and illegalities of quasi-criminal justice officials. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 13(2), 124-130.
Beisner, J. H., Shors, M., & Miller, J. D. (2004). Class Action Cops: Public Servants or Private Entrepreneurs. Stan. L. Rev., 57, 1441.
Fisher, R. R. (2009). The history of American bounty hunting as a study in stunted legal growth. NYU Rev. L. & Soc. Change, 33, 199.
Freeland, S. N. (2009). The Invisible Badge: Why Bounty Hunters Should Be Regarded as State Actors Under the Symbiotic Relationship Test [United States v. Poe, 556 F. 3d 1113 (10th Cor. 2009)]. Washburn LJ, 49, 201.
Rahim, M. M. (2017). Improving social responsibility in RMG industries through a new governance approach in-laws. Journal of Business Ethics, 143(4), 807-826.
Robin, G. D. (2006). Reining in Bounty Hunters. Crim. Just., 21, 4.
