Bounty Hunters

In the Wild West, when outlaws like Jesse James and Billy the Kid roamed the land, local sheriffs didn't have the resources to track them down alone. So they put up 'Wanted' posters offering huge rewards for their capture (Jesse James was worth $5,000 - big, big money at the time). Bounty hunters answered the call, tracking the bad guys relentlessly in return for a share of the reward money. Doing what it took to bring in the outlaws, 'dead or alive'. Today, the stereotype of the rogue bounty hunter remains, even though most modern bounty hunters are trained and licensed. The Wild West free-for- all has been transformed into a real business and an integral part of the American justice system. Bounty hunters, professionally known as bond enforcement agents, track down fugitives who fail to show up in court in exchange for 10 per cent of the bail amount. While this can be a lucrative pursuit it's also extremely hazardous. Every fugitive is considered armed and dangerous...This book traces the long and colourful history of bounty hunters, back to 1872 when US legislation first made bounty hunting legal, through to the day in 2001 when US President George Bush said, in some of the most bellicose language ever used by a White House occupant, that Osama bin Laden was 'Wanted Dead or Alive'. Contents History of bounty hunting; How bounty hunting works; Is bounty hunting legal; The Bounty Hunt; A day in the life of a bounty hunter; Famous man hunts; Duane Chapman - Dog the Bounty Hunter; Popular culture, movies, books and TV