Last Friday I travelled to Newhall, California to attend the funeral of longtime surety representative Scott Anschultz. Scott worked for several decades in the bail profession in both the retail and surety side of the business. The chapel was filled with family members, friends and associates from the bail industry.
Scott was remembered for his love of family, sense of humor, and his commitment to his profession. Scott was a strong supporter of the California Bail Agents Association and Professional Bail Agents of the United States, where he had been inducted into the PBUS Hall of Fame.
Scott, like many of us who have been working in bail for several decades, lived through the evolution of the bail profession from the encroachment of unsecured pretrial release initiatives to shifting marketing trends in the private sector.
The trials continue. This year representatives of commercial bail are challenging efforts to implement court supervised, no personal accountability programs in New Mexico, Connecticut, Nevada, New York and New Jersey.
Within the last three weeks I’ve attended bail conferences in California, Texas and South Carolina with bail related meetings in New York and upcoming meetings in Las Vegas, Sacramento and Atlanta. It’s a never ending, yet necessary endeavor if we are to continue to fight for the expanded use of time tested bail bonds.
While Scott Anschultz leaves us far too early he leaves the bail bond business intact and effective. My heart goes out to Scott’s family, friends and associates.