Final answer:
Extradition is the process where an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by one state to the state where the crime was committed. It is foundational to maintaining justice when offenders cross state lines and is a standard procedure within the U.S. criminal justice system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed is called extradition. This process, as established by law, ensures that criminals cannot escape justice simply by crossing state lines. According to U.S. law, any person charged with treason, felony, or other crime who flees from justice and is found in another state should be returned to the state with jurisdiction over the crime upon the demand of that state's executive authority.
In the broader context of the criminal justice system, extradition reflects the cooperation between different jurisdictions to uphold legal accountability. The criminal justice system itself comprises the police, courts, and corrections institutions which work together to enforce criminal laws, determine guilt or innocence, and carry out sentences. Plea bargaining is another aspect of the system where an accused may plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for a more lenient sentence, thereby avoiding a potentially harsher outcome after a full trial.