A fugitive is someone trying to escape justice or an undesirable situation. They become one after failing to appear in court, leading to an arrest warrant. Law enforcement may actively search for them, and private investigators may be hired. Once caught, bail may be set higher, and they could face additional charges. Fugitives can also escape from incarceration.
A fugitive can mean a person who is trying to escape justice or a person who is trying to escape from an undesirable situation. The term typically applies to an individual who is being actively hunted by a law enforcement agency, but can apply metaphorically to any situation where a person is being prosecuted. A lesser known use of the word is when a person is trying to leave a situation in which she might actually be a victim, such as a fugitive from communism. In this sense, the term is close to being the same as refugee.
In most cases, a person becomes a fugitive once they fail to appear in court. Typically, these individuals get out of incarceration by posting some type of bail, or perhaps are released on their own acknowledgment. When it comes time for them to appear in court for pre-trial motions, a trial, or a conviction, they don’t show up. Often, the individual is aware of the court date and makes a conscious decision not to appear.
Once the person with the court date has failed to appear, the court will often issue an arrest warrant for the individual. If the person appears and explains the circumstances to the judge, the judge can set a new date for the hearing under the same release conditions. Many times, the person will remain at large, thus forcing the courts to ask law enforcement agencies to forcibly take the individual.
Depending on the crime in question, law enforcement agencies may or may not actively search for a fugitive. Many are caught up in things like routine traffic stops. When officers do a quick background check using the subject’s license, outstanding arrest warrants are issued and the person is then taken into custody.
In cases where a fugitive is the subject of a concentrated manhunt, many law enforcement agencies are alerted to the situation. In many cases, law enforcement agencies may work with private investigators hired by the enforcer to catch the fugitive. This is because the guarantor, who put up the money guaranteeing the person’s appearance, will lose his money if he isn’t caught. A private investigator working for the servant is called a bounty hunter. Contrary to what television programs may show, most arrests are without incident.
Once a fugitive has been caught, the chances of a judge releasing the individual on bail may be slim. If bail is set, it is often set at a much higher amount than the previous bail, thus ensuring that the individual in question has a harder time meeting the requirement and more to lose if they fail to appear in court. Also, a person who fails to appear in court could face other charges, such as contempt of court.
Fugitives are also people who escape from an incarceration, such as a jail or prison. Law enforcement often places a high priority on making sure these people are caught quickly. Many times, desperate criminals may commit other crimes to avoid being returned to custody.
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