Search and Seizure Friday Quiz

Which amendment deals with searches, seizures, and warrants?

• 5th amendment

• 4th amendment

• 6th amendment

• 3rd amendment

When they are issued, warrants can be vague about what the police are searching for and where they expect to find it so they can take anything that might be considered evidence.

• True

• False

The police always need a search warrant to conduct a search.

• True

• False

The 4th amendment protections apply only to searches by

• phone companies

• parents

• children

• government agents

What does the government need to issue a warrant? (select all that apply)

• description of the place to be searched

• Probable cause supported by facts and circumstances

• the police chief to agree to it

• describes the persons or things to be seized

What is probable cause?

• The belief that a crime has not been committed or that evidence of a crime does not exist.
• The reasonable belief that a crime has been committed or that evidence of a crime exists.
• The unreasonable belief that a crime has been committed or that evidence of a crime exists.
• The belief that a crime has been committed but without any evidence.

At the local shopping mall, an undercover detective notices a group of teenagers shopping together. Following them, he observes no illegal behavior. However, once they exit the mall he stops them and orders them to turn over their purses, wallets, and jackets.

Is the warrantless search legal? Explain your answer

A police officer driving behind Tom sees the car swerve significantly and cross the center line several times. The officer pulls the car over, asks Tom to step out and searches the area around the driver’s seat. The officer finds an opened liquor bottle and a small amount of marijuana under the seat.

 

Is the warrantless search legal? Explain your answer

 

Officer Jones is trying to find a convict who escaped from a nearby jail. Going door-to-door in the neighborhood surrounding the jail, he asks permission to enter each house and search it. The Nguyens allow him to enter their house. Once in the house, the officer sees and seizes an unregistered firearm that is on a bookshelf.

Is this warrantless search legal? 

• Yes, the family allowed the police officer in and that gave him permission to search and the gun was in plain view

• No, he still needs a warrant to seize something in the house.

In the case of Mapp v Ohio the Supreme Court ruled

• that evidence obtained through illegal searches and seizures cannot be used in state criminal prosecutions

• the Fourth Amendment protects people, not just places, and that individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their conversations
  

• the school officials have the authority to conduct reasonable searches of students if they have reasonable suspicion.