Final answer:
The law of arrest related to pursuits, escapes, or flight allows law enforcement to apprehend and extradite individuals who have fled their jurisdiction to avoid criminal charges, provided that probable cause exists. This is upheld by the U.S. Constitution and state laws. The historical Fugitive Slave Law illustrates the evolution of extradition and arrest laws, emphasizing the current requirement for probable cause.
Step-by-step explanation:
The law of arrest as it relates to pursuits, escapes or flight allows for the pursuit and capture of individuals who have fled a jurisdiction where they are charged with a crime. When a person charged with a crime, such as felony or treason, escapes into another jurisdiction within Virginia, they can be apprehended and extradited back to the state where the crime was committed to face charges. This is supported by Article IV, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution and codified in various state laws, which often permit law enforcement to make an arrest outside of their jurisdiction if probable cause exists, particularly in cases of felony crimes.
The historical Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 mandated that citizens and law enforcement aid in the return of escaped slaves, which serves as a stark contrast to modern principles of justice that require probable cause for arrest. While these historical aspects no longer apply, they highlight the evolution of laws regarding the pursuit and extradition of individuals evading justice. In current practice, officers must have probable cause to issue an arrest warrant, and most states allow the warrantless arrest of someone suspected of a felony, provided that there is probable cause, even if the individual is outside the officer's jurisdiction.