Knowing the distinctions between reasonable suspicion and probable cause are essential, foundational aspects of criminal justice, just as mens rea and actus reus were in your studies last week. Reasonable suspicion is an objective belief by an officer that an investigation needs to be conducted into a potential crime. Probable cause is the standard required for arrest. Keep these distinctions clear in this week’s presentations and in your criminal justice career. Support your claims with examples from the required materials and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Your initial post must be at least 300 words in length.

Two commonly confused concepts in criminal law are reasonable suspicion and probable cause. In your post,

• Define and evaluate both of these significant legal terms, and utilize pertinent U.S. Supreme Court opinions to justify your answers.
• Address what happens in court to a criminal case when an officer does not possess reasonable suspicion or probable cause.