Raising a child is a full-time job, which continues even when they leave for college. It is always challenging for parents to worry about their kids while dealing with daily tasks and their future.
As a parent, you can only try your best to ensure your children turn out great in the world; you can never fully determine what they do and how they do it.
With parents far away, many college students get to decide most things for themselves for the first time. This fresh feeling of autonomy can either get them closer to achieving their potential or the other way, which could make you question the identity of the child you sent off to college.
To tell the truth, these young adults are not always ready for the changes that college can produce.
As a parent, one of the least expected events is getting a call informing you that your child is involved in a criminal case. Whether they are guilty or innocent, only a court of law can decide.
The financial obligation of schooling is enough to stress any parent; adding the need for bail for a child accused of committing a crime can compound the worry. However, bail bonders can help alleviate this worry by covering the bail while you focus more on getting your child acquitted.
What is a bail bond?
People accused of crimes have the right to bail, usually granted by a court or magistrate with the promise that the defendant will always appear in court when required.
The law presumes that an accused person is innocent until proven guilty; therefore should not be deprived of their constitutionally guaranteed liberty except in exceptional cases.
Bail is an amount of money determined by the presiding judge at a court hearing, which, upon payment, may secure the release of the accused from jail while they wait for their next court appearance.
Sometimes, the accused or their family members cannot raise the bail mandated by the judge. Hence their use of bail bonds.
According to Fianzas, a fiancista en miami servicing Hispanic students, a bail bond is a financial contract between a bail bondsman, a defendant (your child), and a co-signer (often you, the parent). The bondsman pays the court the bail amount set by the judge, and your child is released from jail until their court date. In return, you, the co-signer, agree to pay the full bail amount if your child fails to appear in court for all scheduled hearings.
Why students get involved in crimes
The International Conference on Mental Health, Education, and Human Development, in its 2022 report, identified two major causes of crimes among college students. They are childhood experiences and the victim’s characteristics.
Childhood experience
The blueprints for our thinking and feeling are formed during childhood. It is a critical period for behavioral and personality development.
Children who are victims of abuse or witnessed abuse may exhibit similar behaviors without being fully aware of the negative consequences of their actions.
Individuals who are continually frustrated by their surroundings during childhood, such as being neglected by parents, may translate the emotion into a force of violence against others in the future.
Victim’s characteristics
Although not justifiable, the actions of some students make them more prone to being victims of a crime. Several studies have confirmed this by emphasizing the need to be security-conscious while on campus.
For example, frequent partying at night and recreational drug use among students can increase their exposure to violent crime, as it may increase their contact with perpetrators and hazardous situations.
Common crimes committed by students
Most crimes college students commit are rampant among youths of their age range. Peer pressure or bad association is a significant contributing factor to student crimes.
College is a place where children from different families and backgrounds meet. While the school tries its best to ensure every student’s safety, this does not totally eliminate the possibility of crime among students on and off campus.
Some common crimes among college students include:
- Violence
- Burglaries
- Sexual harassment
- Motor vehicle thefts
- Aggravated assaults
- Robberies
- Possession of fake ID
- Arson
- Murder
- Use of illegal drugs
- DUI
How to prevent your child from committing crime in college
The best way to prevent your child from committing crimes in college is to prepare them ahead.
Educate them on the possible challenges they will likely face in college, especially as you will be far away from them. Let them know you trust them to make the best decision for themselves while explaining why every action has consequences.
Make them see the bigger picture, such as how being convicted of a crime can affect their education and, invariably, their future.
Warn them against associating with criminally minded students and tell them they should avoid being at crime scenes to avoid getting involved by association.
Also, ensure they attend a college with a campus structured to prevent crime.
What to do if your child is arrested for a crime
Upon hearing of your child’s involvement in a crime, it is expected to be furious. They are away from their parents for the first time and will more than likely be confused about how to handle the situation; hence, they will need the help of an adult.
Remain calm but act quickly before the case becomes complicated. Talk to your child to hear their side of the story. Sometimes, they are innocent, and only you can help them prove their innocence.
Seek legal guidance and secure their bail. If you cannot afford the cost of bail, use the service of a reputable bail bondsman in your area.