Answer :
Empirical data provide the basis for a. articulating reasonable suspicion required by Terry v. Ohio, which allows police to stop and frisk individuals. This is a lower standard than probable cause.
In this landmark case, the Supreme Court established that law enforcement officers may conduct a brief, investigatory stop and frisk if they have reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot, supported by specific and articulable facts.
This reasonable suspicion standard requires more than an inchoate or unparticularized suspicion but less than probable cause for a full arrest.
Empirical data, such as observations, witness reports, or other tangible evidence, can contribute to the articulation of reasonable suspicion by providing concrete and objective facts that justify the intrusion into an individual's privacy.
Therefore, empirical data play a crucial role in ensuring that law enforcement actions are based on a reasonable and justifiable suspicion of criminal activity, as mandated by Terry v. Ohio.
Thus, option a is correct.
