Probable Cause in Criminal Justice
12th Grade · Social Studies · 45 min
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Learning Objective
I can define probable cause and explain its role in the criminal justice system.
- 1
The Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures, but this protection is not absolute.
- 2
A search warrant, which must be based on probable cause and describe the place to be searched and the items to be seized, is typically required for a legal search, but there are many exceptions to this rule, especially concerning automobiles.
- 3
The exclusionary rule, established in Mapp v. Ohio, prevents illegally obtained evidence from being used in a trial; for example, if police search a home without a valid warrant and find illegal drugs, that evidence cannot be used against the defendant.
