Final answer:
The system in question is a group pact for law enforcement and community safety, which reflects early forms of a criminal justice system rooted in community and clan responsibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The system described is best characterized as C) A group pact for law enforcement and community safety. This system of group protection was not just familial, nor independent governance, nor a strict hierarchy, but rather a collective system ensuring adherence to law and order within the community. It harkens back to the early Germanic systems where clan-based societal structures emphasized communal responsibility for peace and justice. Moreover, this reflects early forms of the criminal justice system, where every member of the society had a role in upholding the law, different from the modern segmented approach with specific institutions for policing, court justice, and corrections.