extradition
extradition. The first recorded instance of extradition procedures was in 1174 with a treaty between Henry II of England and William the Lion of Scotland to exchange criminals who had fled from one country to the other. In 1303 and 1497 similar agreements were made between England and the French and England and the Flemings. In 1794 the Jay treaty inaugurated a formal agreement between Britain and the USA, though it was limited to Canada. The Ashburton treaty in 1842 also included provision for extradition and was followed by agreements between Britain and France in 1843 and Britain and Denmark in 1862. They did not work well and in 1870 the Extradition Act attempted to improve the mechanisms. Between 1870 and 1904 35 treaties were implemented under the Act which remained in force for 119 years, enlarged by the Extradition Act of 1873, and finally superseded by the Extradition Act of 1989. Extradition does not apply to persons granted political asylum but the definition has often led to disputes.
Sandra M. Dunkin
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extradition