What is the legal standard for an arrest?

The legal standard for an arrest is "probable cause." This means that law enforcement officers must have a reasonable basis for believing that a person has committed a crime before making an arrest. This standard is higher than mere suspicion but lower than the standard required for conviction in court.

Probable cause implies that the facts and circumstances within the officer’s knowledge, including their training and experience, would lead a reasonable person to believe that a crime was likely committed by the individual in question. This requirement is designed to protect citizens from arbitrary arrests and ensure that law enforcement has sufficient evidence to justify taking someone into custody.

In contrast, "direct evidence of guilt" is a much higher standard that typically pertains to the proof needed for a conviction in court, not for the initial act of making an arrest. "Reasonable suspicion" is the standard used for stops and frisks, requiring merely a reasonable belief that a person is involved in criminal activity, but it is not sufficient for arrest. "Preponderance of evidence" is a legal standard used in civil cases that indicates that something is more likely true than not, which does not apply to the context of making an arrest. Thus, among the options provided, probable cause is the only standard appropriate for arrest.