Citizen Rights

Shopkeeper citizen arrest is a controversial but legal practice that occurs more frequently than many realize. In the United States alone, thousands of such...

Every year, millions of individuals find themselves in situations where they question the legality of their detention by security personnel. Understanding the boundaries of...

Mall security personnel play a crucial role in maintaining order and safety, but their authority is not unlimited. In the United States, private security...

Private security personnel outnumber police officers in the United States by a ratio of nearly 3 to 1. This stark figure underscores the growing...

Campus police have the authority to make arrests, a power they exercise with increasing frequency. In 2020 alone, campus law enforcement agencies made over...

Campus police officers have the authority to enforce laws and maintain order on college campuses, but their powers are not unlimited. Students often assume...

Over 42,000 law enforcement officers serve as School Resource Officers (SROs) in the United States, working to bridge the gap between schools and the...

Nearly 50,000 school resource officers (SROs) patrol U.S. schools, blurring the lines between education and law enforcement. These officers, tasked with maintaining safety, also...

Police searches in schools have dropped by 40% following the implementation of new guidelines. The regulations, which took effect this academic year, limit the...

Nearly 40% of U.S. schools have School Resource Officers (SROs) patrolling hallways, a presence that has sparked intense debate about the role of law...

When police question minors under 18, parents often find themselves navigating a complex legal landscape. The U.S. sees approximately 1.6 million juvenile arrests annually,...

In a stark reminder of the state's power over families, child protective services can remove children from their homes within 72 hours of an...

Police departments across the country are increasingly stepping into the role of child welfare advocates, with a staggering 15% rise in cases handled over...

Every year, U.S. law enforcement agencies respond to nearly 1.5 million domestic violence calls, demonstrating the critical intersection of police power and family law....

Under a newly enacted law, police officers now possess the authority to issue restraining orders lasting up to a decade. This significant expansion of...

Every year, over 10 million people face domestic arrest in the United States. In these moments of vulnerability, understanding what are rights after domestic...

Domestic violence arrests by police have dropped to their lowest point in a decade, sparking debates about law enforcement's approach to intimate partner violence....

Every year, millions of domestic calls are made, yet many people remain unaware of their rights during these interactions. Misunderstandings or lack of knowledge...

In 150 specific cases, law enforcement officers in the United States possess the authority to make arrests without requiring a victim's statement. This legal...

Every year, police departments across the United States respond to approximately 2 million domestic dispute calls, making it one of the most frequent types...

Every year, millions of tenants in the United States experience police visits to their homes. These encounters, while sometimes necessary, can often leave renters...

Police officers in the United States have the authority to remove individuals from property under specific circumstances, a power that is often misunderstood by...

Each year, millions of Americans face the daunting prospect of eviction, a process that often involves law enforcement. Police play a crucial role in...

Police officers are often seen as enforcers of law and order, but their role in civil matters remains a complex and often misunderstood aspect...

Police officers respond to over 240 million calls for service in the United States each year, with a significant portion involving civil disputes. These...

Every year, law enforcement agencies across the United States conduct millions of welfare checks, a critical yet often misunderstood aspect of community policing. These...

Nearly one in four fatal police encounters in the U.S. involves a person experiencing a mental health crisis. This alarming statistic has sparked intense...

Every year, hundreds of thousands of individuals in the United States undergo 72-hour mental health holds, a temporary measure to ensure safety and provide...

Every year, law enforcement officers across the United States initiate more than 2 million involuntary commitments, a process that removes individuals from their communities...

New York police can detain individuals for up to 72 hours under mental health laws, a provision that has sparked debate among advocates and...

One in five adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness each year, yet many remain unaware of their rights during crucial moments of crisis....

Nearly 1 in 5 fatal police encounters involves a person experiencing a mental health crisis. This stark reality underscores the critical need for specialized...

Police officers face volatile situations daily, with nearly 60 million calls for service annually in the U.S. alone. Effective de-escalation tactics can mean the...

Community policing has emerged as a powerful tool in crime reduction, with studies showing a 20% decrease in crime rates in areas where it's...

Trust in law enforcement has reached a critical low, with only 48% of Americans expressing confidence in their local police, according to a recent...

Police funding in the United States has reached an all-time high, with cities allocating over $100 billion annually to law enforcement. This staggering figure...

Police use of force remains a critical issue, with the Washington Post's Fatal Force database reporting 1,055 fatal police shootings in 2022 alone. Amid...

Over 90% of law enforcement agencies in the United States currently use body-worn cameras, yet policies governing their use remain inconsistent across jurisdictions. This...

In a surprising twist, 12 states have enacted police reform laws that inadvertently shrink citizens' rights rather than expand them. These laws, designed to...

In 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the city of Baltimore entered into a landmark agreement known as a consent decree, aimed at...

The Department of Justice has initiated its 15th police misconduct investigation this year, underscoring a persistent pattern of alleged systemic issues within law enforcement...

The Department of Justice has launched investigations into 14 police departments across the United States, scrutinizing their practices for potential systemic violations. This surge...

Every year, thousands of individuals in the United States file civil rights claims, seeking justice for violations of their fundamental rights. These claims can...

Every 6 hours, a police officer in the United States is involved in a civil rights violation. This alarming statistic comes from a new...

More than 3,000 lawsuits were filed against police departments nationwide last year alone. Behind these legal battles lies a powerful, yet often overlooked, piece...

Over the past decade, lawsuits against police officers have surged by 45%, highlighting a contentious issue: personal liability. The question of whether police can...

Legal immunity shields public officials from certain lawsuits, but not all immunity is created equal. Two primary forms exist: absolute and qualified immunity. Understanding...

Police officers face a unique set of legal protections known as police immunity. These protections shield officers from personal liability in civil lawsuits arising...

As of October 2023, a groundbreaking law in the UK empowers citizens to claim substantial damages from police forces, with compensation caps reaching £300,000....

Under a new legal amendment, police forces now possess explicit authority to force entry into private properties during search operations. This change has sparked...