Reasonable suspicion for a stop is to suspect that a crime is occurring/just occurred/is about to occur.

• A. To suspect that a crime is occurring/just occurred/is about to occur
• B. To prove guilt
• C. To obtain a warrant
• D. To detain for 24 hours

Answer: (A)

Reasonable suspicion is the lower standard that justifies a brief investigative stop. It requires specific, articulable facts and rational inferences that crime is afoot—whether that means the crime is happening now, has just occurred, or is about to occur. This is the basis for stopping someone to briefly question them or to conduct a limited encounter without a warrant. It isn’t about proving guilt, obtaining a warrant, or holding someone for an extended period; those would require stronger evidence or different legal steps. For example, someone matching a crime-suspect description in a high-crime area who is acting unusually or furtively can justify a brief stop to determine if there is involvement in criminal activity.