Introduction to Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to law enforcement and criminal justice, focusing on constitutional provisions, policing techniques, and legal standards relevant to police-citizen interactions.

Fourth Amendment

Constitutional provision that protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Reasonable suspicion

A legal standard defined as a particularized and objective basis for suspecting a particular person of criminal activity, requiring less justification than probable cause.

Probable cause

The sum total of layers of information that provide reasonable grounds for presuming guilt or suspicion of a crime.

Terry stop

The brief detention of a person by law enforcement on reasonable suspicion of involvement in criminal activity.

Exclusionary rule

A legal principle that prohibits the use of illegally obtained evidence in a court of law.

Miranda warning

A warning given to criminal suspects in police custody, informing them of their rights, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney.

Search warrant

A legal order authorizing police to conduct a search of a specified place for specific items.

Consent search

A search conducted by law enforcement with the voluntary consent of the individual being searched.

Stop and frisk

A police practice of stopping a suspect on the street and patting them down for weapons with reasonable suspicion.

Plain view doctrine

Allows for the warrantless seizure of evidence found in plain sight during lawful observation by law enforcement.