Understanding how bail works can greatly relieve the stress of trying to get someone out of jail. When a person is arrested and put in jail, within a certain time frame they are brought before a judge. The judge decides if the accused should be released until their trial date. If the decision is made to release them, the judge will set a bond–which we call bail–the amount of which is determined by the severity of the crime, the standing of the accused in the community, and whether he might pose a flight risk. There are two types of bonds – secured and unsecured.