Monday, October 22, 2012 By Kenny Keene Most people know me from my career as a professional boxer.

I dont mind that recognition. It was a tough life but a good life, and throughout my time in boxing I learned a lot about the difference between doing something the right way and doing it the wrong way. I knew that if I trained right, lived well and took a professional approach to boxing, I would be successful over the long term. Those valuable lessons followed me to life after boxing, and are directly applied every day in my bail-bonds business. The two businesses are actually pretty similar, at least to the public eye. The image most people have of boxing in many ways mirrors the image they have of bail bondsmen: Loud, garish, as seen on TV and somehow distasteful. But the boxing I know and love is a much more accurate reflection of the bail bond industry: Professional, methodical, systematic and a positive in our community. As a founding member of the new Idaho Bail Coalition, I am proud to be part of a new effort to promote the positive and useful impact from our industry on the communities where we live and work. Our purpose is to promote rules and guidelines to advance the profession while also championing ethical standards and best practices to keep our industry strong. Our organization is also working collaboratively to engage lawyers, judges, police officers, court administrators and others in discussions about our industry while also engaging the general public so they have a deeper understanding of what we do. It starts with letting people know that regardless of whether bail comes from large, regional firms with large operations or small, community-focused companies in rural Idaho, all bail professionals share the same goals. First, we want to show how bail works. It is important for people to understand that bail is not a get out of jail free card, but is instead a guarantee that a defendant will fulfill his or her obligations to the court. Second, we want to show that we are private-sector solution to some of the problems in the criminal justice system. Police and courts are overworked, and have limited resources. Bail bondsmen play a critical role in making sure defendants are held accountable to the requirements of the court system. And third, we want to show that our industry isnt what people see on TV or in movies. We arent bounty hunters who go on private-sector raids. Rather, we are professionals who work within the criminal justice system to help protect the public interest. The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution says that excess bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel or unusual punishment inflicted. Bail has been a part of our country since its inception, and continues to be an integral part of our legal system. That is one of many reasons I am proud to be part of the new Idaho Bail Coalition. Its members are my colleagues, my competitors and my friends. Much like my boxing career, I appreciate working with people who believe that the right way is not only the best way, but the only way. Kenny Keene is a third generation Idahoan, lifetime Gem County resident, world champion professional boxer, proud father and husband announced and owner of Kenny Keene Bail Bonds.