By Jennifer Bloom and Sally Revak

This lesson from the LegalWays curriculum focuses on the most common questions regarding investigation and arrest including police stops, searches, probable cause, arrest, and the constitutional rights of the accused. Activities include a student reading with guiding questions, a  “Police Role-play” activity that provides the students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge and for them to review and reflect with a police officer, and a final case study that asks students to apply their knowledge about interrogation and Miranda rights in a slightly different setting, the principal’s office in a school. This lesson uses basic information and does not include the many small exceptions and interpretations that exist in the law. Where appropriate, Minnesota law has been used. Lessons can be adapted to other states. Remind students they should not attempt to answer specific individual legal problems with the information provided.

Objectives

• Students will understand the steps in a criminal case
• Students will understand the laws concerning search and arrest
• Students will develop an appreciation for the role of police officers
• Students will understand the application of criminal procedure to school settings

Time to Complete

Two class periods

•  LegalWays Curriculum Overview ^[1]
• Criminal Law Teaching Guide ^[2]
• Student Handout Investigation and Arrest ^[3]

Procedure

See Criminal Law Teaching Guide