I have often wondered exactly how bounty hunting works, but my interest hasn't been sufficiently sustained to actually research it. Thanks to Librarians' Internet Index (LII), I have my answer. LII describes the HowStuffWorks' article, How Does Bounty Hunting Work:
This feature describes the job of bounty hunters (or bail enforcement agents), who are sometimes hired by bail bondsmen to track down people who have left town and missed their court appearance. Discusses the legality of bounty hunting, typical bounty hunting activities, and history. Includes links to related articles.