Criminal Justice Practice Exam

Reasonable suspicion refers to a legal standard applied in the field of criminal justice that allows law enforcement officers to stop and briefly detain a person for investigative purposes when they have a particularized and objective basis for suspecting that the person is engaged in criminal activity. The key component of reasonable suspicion is that it must be based on specific, articulable facts rather than vague hunches or general feelings.

This means that the officer must be able to articulate specific reasons for their suspicion, which could be based on observed behavior, knowledge of the area, or other identifiable facts. This standard is not as high as "probable cause," which is required for arrests and obtaining search warrants, but it does require more than just a general feeling or instinct.

In contrast, other options do not meet the legal requirement of reasonable suspicion. A hunch without specific facts does not provide a solid foundation for an investigative stop. Likewise, having a general awareness of crime in an area does not provide particularized information about an individual. Finally, evidence that a crime is currently taking place would elevate the situation to probable cause, thereby exceeding the threshold of reasonable suspicion. The emphasis in this context is on the necessity of having clear, articulated reasons for suspicion to justify a stop.