What is required to effect an arrest or apprehension?

• A. Probable Cause
• B. Reasonable Suspicion
• C. Consent
• D. Jurisdiction

Answer: (A)

Probable cause is the standard required to effect an arrest. It means there are reasonable facts and circumstances that would lead a prudent person to believe the suspect has committed a crime or is about to commit one. This threshold is higher than what is needed for a mere stop or frisk, which relies on reasonable suspicion. Consent can also justify an arrest if the consenting person freely agrees to be taken into custody, but it must be voluntary and informed; it does not replace the need for probable cause in typical warrantless arrests. Jurisdiction is about having authority to arrest in a particular place or over a certain matter; lacking jurisdiction can make an arrest invalid, but it is not the justification for the arrest itself.