The Salisbury Post-Mark Cartret, More Info on Bail Bondsmen...

The Salisbury Post-Mark Cartret

by Mark Cartret, Chairman and Past President, NCBAA via Columbus Bail on Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 11:33am

Thursday (6-10-2010)


Published Wednesday, June 09, 2010 11:00 PM

More information on bail bondsmen
We appreciate your newspaper highlighting the private bail industry in the June 8 articles "Hunters of men — Bail bondsmen know how to track 'em down" and "Here's how being bail bondsman works." As president of the North Carolina Bail Agents Association, there are a few comments about the private bail industry that I'd like to add.
In addition to the two bail agents you highlighted in these stories, there are more than 1,200 hardworking men and women who comprise the private bail industry in North Carolina. Every day these men and women work tirelessly to reduce jail overcrowding and bring defendants back to court, which helps ensure that our state's court system runs smoothly and efficiently. The efforts of these bail agents to return defendants for court saves our state's taxpayers $2 billion or more each year.
The private bail industry is successful at bringing defendants to court because private bail agents are financially tied to the bonds that they issue. We have personal and financial incentives to keep track of the defendants that we monitor. And we do all of this work at no added cost to the state's taxpayers.
In addition, if a bond is forfeited the forfeited bond amount is, by law, given to the North Carolina public school system.
Mark Cartret
Raleigh
Cartret is the president of the North Carolina Bail Agents Association and an avid advocate for Private Bail. His family entered the bail / pretrial industry in 1971.

A Job Well Done?...

A Job well Done?

by Mark Cartret, NCBAA Chairman and Past President via Columbus Bail on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 8:04pm

         The NCBAA under my watch, got more bills signed into law than it did at any other time since its inception. We hired the first African American staff member, increasing our lobbying team to 3 seasoned consultants. For the first time the NCBAA and the School Board Association came together in a joint effort to fix the "infamous bond c" law. This law was previously reported to have been the single most import issue harming bail agents statewide. Tougher restrictions were placed on those entering the industry while for the first time NCBAA's treasurer reported that it had more money than ever in the general fund. Upon the forwarding of uncollected, unsecured and property bond information from my district of 13A, the School Board Association acknowledged such was a statewide problem and agreed to assist in seeking a study bill that would determine the exact losses of unsecured and property bonds. I remember thinking that the economy had certainly made some strange bedfellows; the NCBAA and the SBA. While taxpayer-funded pretrial release continues to be a problem which I believe could be handled by establishing specific policies that enforce oversight and accountability; such programs are only in 37 counties. Unsecured and property bonds are in all 100 counties.Throughout the course of the last 2 years, the NCBAA accomplished more than it had at any other time since 1992.
After serving most of my tenure on the executive committee which included 2 terms as vice president and subsequently as president and chairman, I consider it a great honor and privilege to serve on such a fine and outstanding board.
 In conclusion and in the long term, the problem of market saturation persists. Such is clearly being aggravated by an ever increasing presence of insurance companies that blatantly and aggressively demand their share. As the pie shrinks, the unlimited supply of agents increase.This one single most important factor alone stands to kill the industry.  Insurance companies have created an "us or them" situation, pitting agents against agents. While market shares continue to shrink, fingers are pointed in all directions; all directions except the insurance companies.