The ancient industry known as bounty hunting dates back to the Wild West, when local and national wanted ads for fugitives were posted in every city with bounties listed in them for the capture of those fugitives. Back then, the rewards were about $5,000 per person, and it didn’t matter if the fugitive was brought to justice dead or alive. All the local police wanted was for the fugitives to be away from the public, no matter the method. Bounty hunters, then as now, work for a percentage of the bail money the fugitive has to pay into the justice system. Bounty hunting has become a serious profession these days, and most bounty hunters are trained and licensed to operate where they live.

The following five items are some interesting facts you didn’t know about bounty hunters:

1. Bounty Hunter is no longer the preferred name for this profession. The name now used is Fugitive Recovery Agent or Bail Enforcement Agent. These two names are more politically correct in today’s society and are respected by both members of the industry and the justice system.

2. Some fugitive recovery agents have more authority to arrest fugitives than police officers. This all depends on the state the bounty hunter operates in and its bounty hunting laws, which are legal throughout the country. Kentucky, Illinois, and Oregon completely prohibit bounty hunting. A warrant must be issued to a bounty hunter and then a police officer can make the arrest. The bounty hunter can request that the fugitive be delivered into his hands.

3. Bounty hunters are no longer allowed to bring home fugitives dead or alive, they must be alive and not mistreated in any way. Broken bones, bruises, scratches, and other injuries will not be accepted by the justice system. Runaways who have been beaten will not be sent to jail due to the legal liability involved.

4. Believe it or not, most fugitive recovery agents wear bail recovery agent badges these days so they are identifiable by local law enforcement agencies, the public, and the fugitives they are chasing so problems don’t arise during the chasing.

5. Broad authority for bounty hunters arose in 1873 in the United States with the Supreme Court case of Taylor v. Dyer. This Supreme Court case gave bounty hunters across the country the authority to act on behalf of bail bondsmen and arrest fugitives who have missed bail. This case also gave bounty hunters permission to pursue the fugitive into another state and enter the fugitive’s place of residence to make an arrest.

Bounty hunting has become a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States over the past two decades. A talented fugitive recovery agent can earn between $80,000 and $100,000 per year arresting fugitives. They will need to work between 50 and 150 cases to earn that much money, which can be a backbreaking task. Many fugitive recovery agents spend 80 to 100 hours a week chasing down fugitives, working surveillance, investigating, and ultimately tracking down their target.

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