Bail in the Midwest

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Jennifer Coffindaffer, Retired FBI Special Agent and host of the popular true crime podcast, "Break the Case with Jen Coffindaffer FBI." As true crime continues to captivate the public, it significantly influences perceptions of law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Ms. Coffindaffer provides a compelling, unsensationalized glimpse behind the...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Shelly Alexander, President of the Tennessee Association of Professional Bail Agents.  The discuss the challenges facing the bail industry in her state, which includes a potentially catastrophic constitutional amendment.  They also address the importance of having seasoned advocates in place when working with lawmakers to ensure that the interests of the profess...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Kim Ogg, the district attorney for Harris County, Texas.  They discuss the tremendous negative impact of bail reform efforts in the nation’s third-largest county.  We are offered a rare, insider’s look as District Attorney Ogg addresses the challenge of dealing with stakeholders less concerned about public safety than about playing politics.  Among the concerns...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Doug Bedford, who previously served as undersheriff of Johnson County, Kansas and is currently running for sheriff in the same county.  They discuss the important role the sheriff’s office plays in maintaining public safety.  Among the issues they tackle is the need to address mental health requirements of individuals in custody, the widespread problem with drug...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Jeff Reisig, the district attorney for Yolo County, California.  They discuss a 2022 study his office conducted that revealed that Yolo County’s zero bail policy had resulted in an increase of 163 percent in total crime and more than a 200 percent spike in violent crime.  Mr. Reisig shares his views on the current state of criminal justice and our court systems,...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, James Quinn, who served as an assistant district attorney for Queens, New York for 42 years.  They discuss the alarming rise in crime due to bail reform efforts, especially in New York, which in 2019 greatly reduced all forms of monetary pretrial release.  Mr. Quinn offers a first-hand view of how the situation played out during his time in the DA’s office. 

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Joe Gamaldi, the National Vice President of the Fraternal Order of Police, who also serves as an active duty officer in the Houston Police Department.  They discuss ongoing attacks on the nation’s criminal justice system.  What began as simplistic calls for “bail reform” has devolved into demands to defund the police.  However, growing threats to public safety h...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, the Honorable David R. Platt, who served as a District Court judge for 22 years in Kansas’ Eighth judicial district.  They explore the role of the judicial branch of our nation’s governmental system – the most enigmatic of the three branches.  While most are aware of the functions of those who serve in the executive and legislative branches, the judiciary is the...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Vanessa Riebli, who served as an assistant district attorney for Johnson County, Kansas for 21 years and is currently a partner in the law firm of Bath & Edmonds, which specializes in criminal defense.  They discuss the role of the prosecutor in the criminal justice system, including the great influence they have to affect case outcomes -- including who is a...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Ken W. Good, bail attorney and a board member of the Professional Bondsmen of Texas.  They discuss the four phases of the "spiral of death" facing our nation's largest cities.  Politicians are being forced to grapple with a problem of their own creation – the ramifications of ill-conceived criminal justice reform. 

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Jared Fishman, former federal prosecutor and founder and Executive Director of Justice Innovation Lab.  Jared is the author of the newly published book, FIRE ON THE LEVEE: The Murder of Henry Glover and the Search for Justice after Hurricane Katrina (Hanover Square Press). They discuss Jared’s behind-the-scenes battle, as a young Justice Department prosecutor, t...

Join host Shane Rolf for this special edition as he addresses the recent bombshell decision by the Illinois Supreme Court, ruling in favor of a law that ends cash bail in the state.  In so doing, he questions why the court would abandoned its duty to uphold the Illinois constitution in favor of political expediency.  He also explores the probable grave consequences of the ruling for public safety....

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Dennis Berndt, owner of B&K Bail Bonds in Wichita, Kansas, as they continue their discussion of the portrayal of bail agents and the profession of bail bonds in motion pictures.  How accurate is their depiction?  Through the use of audio clips, today’s episode takes a look at Quentin Tarantino’s 1997 crime film, “Jackie Brown,” the tale of a struggling fligh...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Eric Granof, Vice President of Corporate Communications for AIA Surety.  They explore the subject of the true economic cost of bail reform, a movement that has swept the country in recent years.  Do we really know the price of doing away with secured bail?  And more importantly, what is the value -- or the lack of value -- that results from bail reform? 

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Dennis Berndt, owner of B&K Bail Bonds in Wichita, Kansas, as they discuss the portrayal of bail agents and the profession of bail bonds in motion pictures.  How much is accurate and how much is just Hollywood stereotyping?  With the help of entertaining audio clips, they examine “Midnight Run,” a 1988 action-comedy film about a bounty hunter (Robert De Niro...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guests, Laura Frisbie and Krysta Lane, Kansas bail agents with Owens Bonding Inc. Frisbie is based in Wichita and serves on the board of directors for the Kansas Bail Agents Association, while Lane operates out of Arkansas City. They discuss the different approaches women take as bondsmen and how their skills differ from their male counterparts. 

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Joy Springfield, Director of Pro Bono at Kansas Legal Services.  They discuss what happens to defendants who have been convicted of a crime after their sentences has been served.  For those who have paid their debt to society, expungement of their criminal records (with certain restrictions) offers a second chance that benefits not only the individuals, but also...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Charles White, former President of the Tennessee Association of Professional Bail Agents as they discuss a variety of pertinent topics regarding bail.  Mr. White was an early advocate for the establishment of bail bonds-specific continuing education requirements in his state and has helped a number of other states (including Kansas) develop similar requirements....

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Kevin Barone, founding partner of The Capital Lobby Group, as they discuss the much-misunderstood and critically important role of lobbyists in the American political system.  Often derided by critics for advocating on behalf of specific industries, unions, trade associations, charities and other causes, lobbyists provide a key voice to lawmakers, regulators, an...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Sheriff Grady Judd of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, to discuss what is true and what is not regarding the current bail reform movement.  Evidence shows that such measures have directly led to an increase in crime.  Yet, opponents insist that bail reform is working and question attempts to roll it back in jurisdictions where it has been implemented.  With 50...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Nina Salarno, the President of Crime Victims United, to discuss the role bail plays in ensuring justice to the victims of crime.  Individuals charged with crimes have typically been the focus of the criminal justice system, rather than the victims they have harmed.  Ms. Salarno brings her years of experience as a victims’ rights advocate, practicing attorney and...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Armando Roche, Chairman/Co-CEO/Co-Founder of Roche Surety & Casualty Co., Inc., one of the founding fathers of the modern bail industry.  This engaging conversation spans topics including how he built his small agency into a national underwriter of bail, changes he has seen in the business over the years and what goes into being a successful bondsman.  The d...

Join Shane Rolf and his guest, Alex “SkipGuru” Price, a nationally-recognized expert in the art of skip tracing, also known as bail enforcement.  An essential ingredient of the bail industry, effective skip tracing allows bondsmen to locate and apprehend individuals who do not wish to be found.  The ability to locate missing persons is one of the most important components that differentiate a succ...

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Sgt. Betsy Brantner-Smith (ret.) spokesperson of the National Police Association, as they discuss the current state of criminal justice, including bail reform efforts across the country, and how it affects the work of law enforcement.

Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Jeff Clayton, Executive Director of the American Bail Coalition, for a discussion about the arguments in support of bail reform efforts across the nation. Does the presumption of innocence makes bail improper?  Are people sitting in jail solely because they lack funds?  And does bail reform have no effect on the rise of crime?  After careful scrutiny, the answer...