“They say every night is a Saturday night in the bail bond business. You never know what’s going to happen,” says AIA bail bond agent Fred Adkerson. For 42 years, he has written 70% of bail bonds across the state of Alaska and still has the names of people who owe him fees from the 1970’s.
With over four decades of experience, Adkerson has seen a lot of changes in the bail bond industry: more gang-related cases and increased bail bond amounts due to more heinous crimes being committed.
Still, Adkerson’s work gives people a second chance at life. He says, “A lot of these guys are working. They have to get out and support their families. Some of these guys have five or six kids, and by being in jail, who’s going to pay the bills…and when they do get out, their job’s gone.”
Alaska is the only state that allows third-party custodian bail, but there is a bill going through the legislature that asks for stricter third-party custodian standards. Learn more about Fred Adkerson and Alaska bail bonding in KTTU news station’s story, “No holidays for those in the bail bond business.”