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Description
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.
48 Episodes
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Join host Shane Rolf as he interviews Mike Willever, a retired veteran of both local and federal law enforcement. Mike is the host of the Active Self Protection podcast, a show is consistently recognized as a top podcast in the area of self-defense. Active Self Protection, Mike's company, also provides training, both live and online. Shane and Mike discuss the mindset someone needs to foster to engage in Active Self Protection. To learn more about Mike's work, visit www.activeselfprot...
In this solo episode, host Shane Rolf examines the growing use of “cashless bail” and how these policies often lead to preventable tragedies. Drawing on recent high-profile cases from North Carolina, Illinois and Kansas -- including the murders of Iryna Zarutska -- individuals with extensive criminal histories are frequently released on signature bonds, despite prior failures to appear and escalating conduct. He also highlights new research from California’s Yolo County which has ...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Tracey Halley-Terrell, President of the Oklahoma Bondsman Association. Shane and Tracey discuss bail in Oklahoma, charitable bail funds and the growing issue of fraud. To learn more about Tracey, visit okbondsman.com.
Join host Shane Rolf and guest Mike Morrison, President of the Mississippi Bail Agents Association and owner of Mike Morrison Bail Bonding. Mr. Morrison discusses the challenges and inconsistencies bail agents face across different counties and states. He shares how Mississippi is working to modernize education, update outdated statutes and bring more uniformity to bail practices. They also discuss crime trends, the impact of federal lawsuits on fines and bail and efforts to...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Patricia Wenskunas, survivor of a violent crime and Founder and CEO of Crime Survivors, Inc. Shane and Patricia discuss her work with her organization, Crime Survivors, Inc. They address negative effect of bail reform and how oftentimes crime survivors are overlooked in the criminal justice process. To learn more about Patricia, visit CrimeSurvivors.org.
Join host Shane Rolf and guest Michael Woody, Owner of 828 Bail Bonds. Mr. Woody serves as the North Carolina Chairman of the National Association of Bail Agents, in addition to being a board member of the North Carolina Bail Agents Association. They discuss the brutal murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte -- a crime committed by a man with at least 14 prior arrests who had been released on a simple promise to appear in court. The case exposed the dangers of North Caro...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, David Kain, who is a police instructor in Georgia. Kain sheds a little bit on the real world of bail enforcement and how those in the bail industry can avoid becoming the bad guys while they're bringing back the real bad guys. Kain is police officer in Georgia and is a state certified police instructor in multiple areas, many of which are critical to bail bondsmen and bounty hunters. And he has a focus on fugitive apprehension.
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Brenda Dietzman, motivational speaker and former Sedgwick County Undersheriff in Kansas. Brenda received at least a dozen notable awards while in law enforcement. Upon retiring, she started Wayfinder Consulting, LLC, where she focuses on leadership and management – especially in a law enforcement and/or corrections setting. She offers online courses, consulting and individual training. She is also an internationally certified trainer and has presented to n...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Eric Granof, Vice President of Corporate Communications at AIA Surety. Shane and Eric have an in-depth discussion on bail reform and criminal justice issues, exploring the funding and origins of the bail reform movement, its impact on the criminal justice system, and the influence of wealthy donors on prosecutors and elections. To learn more about Eric Granof, visit www.aiasurety.com.
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Lewis Garrison, who is Director of Bail at the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Shane interviews Lewis Garrison, the director of bail for the Oklahoma Insurance Department, to discuss the regulation and operations of the bail bond industry in Oklahoma. They cover topics such as licensing requirements, complaint processes, industry challenges, and recent legislative efforts. To learn more about Lewis Garrison, visit www.oid.ok.gov.
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Larry Newman, a Missouri bail bondsman. Larry Newman is the President of the Missouri Alliance of Professional Bail Bond Agents (MAP-BBA) and a long-time bail bondsman in Missouri. He was selected as the 2023 Bail Agent of the Year by the Professional Bail Agents of the United States (PBUS). He and Shane discuss Missouri Supreme Court Rule 33.01, which outlines the law surrounding Misdemeanors or Felonies, right to release and conditions. To l...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Nicole Martinez, Colorado bail bondsmen and President of the Colorado Association of Professional Sureties. Ms. Martinez's company, 5280 Bail Bonds, was just named as the Best Bail Bond Company in the 2025 Best of Mile High award program. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, she is the President of the Colorado Association of Professional Sureties (CAPS) and she is working hard to rebuild the bail bond industry in Colorado. To learn more abou...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Tad Nelson, criminal defense attorney and lawyer scientist as they discuss the intricacies of handling defendants. Nelson uses cutting-edge forensic science to crack the toughest cases and deliver justice. As a board-certified criminal defense attorney and American Chemical Society-Certified Lawyer Scientist, he spent more than 30 years blending cutting-edge forensic science with relentless courtroom strategies to uncover the truths others miss. Fr...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Captain Jose "Pepi" Granado (Retired), homicide detective and author. Granado is a 35-year veteran of law enforcement, much of which was spent as a homicide detective. During that time, he navigated, assisted or supervised almost 800 death investigations. He has acted as a consultant on the hit A&E television show The First as well as “The Interrogation Tapes” on ABC’s 20/20. He currently operates SKyMac Consulting and hosts his own podcast: Beyond the ...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Jeff Barton, who a bail bondsman and bail enforcement agent in Missouri. Shane and Jeff discuss one of the biggest recent bounty hunter cases that has been brought in Federal Court. The case, United States v Wayne Lozier, involves a bounty hunter who was convicted of Federal kidnapping charges for apprehending a fugitive. Mr. Lozier failed to follow certain local state laws relating to bounty hunting. To learn more about Jeff Barton, visit bartonbailbonds.c...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Dr. Alex Tabarrok, who is the Director of the Center for Study of Public Choice, The Bartley J. Madden Chair in Economics at the Mercatus Center which is a part of George Mason University. Dr. Tabarrok is the author of several textbooks on economics and is the Co-Founder of Marginal Revolution University, which can be found at MRU.org. The accompanying blog, MarginalRevolution.com, has nearly 2,500 pages on an incredible variety of topics. There are also li...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Mike Whitlock, Executive Vice President and Partner of American Surety Company. Mr. Whitlock provides a look at what’s going on with criminal justice in Illinois, a year after The SAFE-T Act was enacted. The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act, (SAFE-T Act), made a number of reforms to the criminal justice system, affecting policing, pretrial detention and bail, sentencing and corrections. While some tout its success, Mr. Whitlock of...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, John Looney, the President of the Montana Bail Agents Association, who is presently running for a seat in the Montana House of Representatives. Mr. Looney provides a look at what’s going on with criminal justice in Big Sky Country and discusses his decision to enter politics, explaining why he feels it’s important to serve his community. He also discusses two pending lawsuits -- one each in both federal and state court -- in which he has charged...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Kirk Shaw, a New Jersey bail bondsman and the author of the book, “Make America Safe: A Bail Bondsman's Story.” Mr. Shaw offers a very personal insider’s look at the bail profession and addresses the challenges being faced by bondsmen due to ongoing bail reform efforts throughout the nation. They discuss the greatly increased level of crime in our communities, despite claims by advocates that soft-on-crime laws are working. Possible soluti...
Join host Shane Rolf and his guest, Scott Jones, co-founder of One Brother One Sister. The non-profit program offers courses on how to deal with addiction and mental health issues within communities, workplaces and home life. Specifically, One Brother One Sister educates individuals on the frontlines who see these issues on a daily basis. This includes first responders, corrections officers -- and bail agents, as a high percentage of incarcerated people meet the diagnostic criteria for drug a...
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