College

The amount of justification needed for a police officer to make a detention is:

A. Probable cause
B. Reasonable suspicion
C. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt
D. None

Answer :

Final answer:

A police officer needs 'reasonable suspicion' to make a detention, a standard lower than 'probable cause' and not as high as 'proof beyond a reasonable doubt,' which is used in court to determine guilt.

Explanation:

The amount of justification needed for a police officer to make a detention is B. Reasonable suspicion. This standard is a lower threshold than probable cause, and it allows police officers to stop and frisk individuals if they have a reasonable belief that a person has committed, is in the process of committing, or is about to commit a crime, as established in the landmark case Terry v. Ohio (1968). In comparison, probable cause is necessary for obtaining arrest warrants or conducting searches in exigent circumstances. The standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt is used in a different context, specifically within the courtroom setting to determine a defendant's guilt during a trial.