Analyzing Arguments Q32

32.

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. No search of a person's home or personal effects may be conducted without a written search warrant issued on probable cause. This means that a neutral judge must approve the factual basis justifying a search before it can be conducted. This paragraph best supports the statement that the police cannot search a person's home or private papers unless they have

A. legal authorization B. direct evidence of a crime. C. read the person his or her constitutional rights. D. a reasonable belief that a crime has occurred. E. requested that a judge be present.

Answer: Option A

Explanation:

The second and third sentence combine to give support to choice a. The statement stresses that there must be a judge's approval (i.e., legal authorization) before a search can be conducted. Choices b and d are wrong because it is not enough for the police to have direct evidence or a reasonable belief—a judge must authorize the search for it to be legal. Choices c and e are not mentioned in the passage.