Bail in the Midwest
Bail in the Midwest explores the integral role of bail in the criminal justice system. With its roots dating back hundreds of years, bail allows individuals charged with a crime to be free pending trial, while simultaneously ensuring public safety. However, efforts to reform the bail system have escalated across the country in recent years, with calls from advocates to reduce or even eliminate the incarceration of individuals charged with a crime. With violent crime on the rise, it has become apparent that the new laws put into place are not always effective. In each episode, we discuss the many challenges involving criminal justice reform, as lawmakers seek viable solutions.
Bail in the Midwest is hosted by Shane Rolf, Executive Vice-President of the Kansas Bail Agents Association. David Stuckman, President of the Professional Bail Agents of the United States is Executive Producer of the podcast.
Bail in the Midwest
Bail in the Midwest, Susan Oetting, Author of “Grandma the Bounty Hunter”
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Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Susan Oetting, a Fort Wayne bail bondsman, fugitive recovery agent and author writing under the name “Grandma Susan.” Ms. Oetting discusses her path into the bail profession and her work with a fourth-generation Indiana bonding company, while offering an inside look at the realities of fugitive recovery far removed from Hollywood portrayals of bounty hunters. Drawing from her book, “Grandma the Bounty Hunter,” she shares true stories involving difficult apprehensions, dangerous vehicle encounters, deceptive field tactics and the challenges of working across state lines near major crime corridors connected to Chicago and surrounding Midwestern jurisdictions.
The discussion also explores the role women continue to play in a profession often assumed to be male-dominated, including the practical advantages and risks female agents face in the field. Ms. Oetting addresses changing bail policy in Indiana, including the proposed constitutional amendment that would expand judicial authority to deny bail beyond murder and treason when a defendant is deemed a substantial danger to the community. The episode offers a candid, experience-based perspective on bail enforcement, public safety and why more first-hand accounts from working bondsmen remain essential to understanding the profession.