How is "reasonable suspicion" defined?

"Reasonable suspicion" is defined as the belief that a person may be involved in criminal activity, but it is a standard that is lower than probable cause. This legal standard allows law enforcement to stop and briefly detain a person for investigative purposes when they have specific and articulable facts that suggest that the person is engaged in criminal behavior. The concept of reasonable suspicion stems from the need to balance the interests of public safety and individual rights.

Law enforcement officers are trained to look for behaviors or circumstances that might indicate criminal activity, such as unusual movements, evasive actions, or specific information received from reliable sources. These observations help form a reasonable belief that warrants further investigation. Because this standard is less stringent than probable cause, it allows officers to act on their judgment and instincts based on the totality of the circumstances, while still being grounded in observable facts.

Other definitions do not accurately capture what reasonable suspicion entails. For instance, a belief based solely on a tip does not provide the necessary context or evidence required for reasonable suspicion. Similarly, intuition without any basis does not meet the legal threshold needed for a detention. Lastly, stating that reasonable suspicion is a standard higher than probable cause contradicts the fundamental legal definitions of these terms, where probable cause