Complete the sentence.
The Fourth Amendment says that the government needs to have () before it can search a person.
a good reason a declaration of war proof of a crime a large army
The Fourth Amendment says that the government needs to have a good reason before it can search a person or his or her property. The Fourth Amendment says that "unreasonable searches" are not allowed. It is not always clear what makes a search "unreasonable." But a search for no reason is definitely unreasonable! However, the government doesn't need proof of a crime before searching someone. The government just has to have a good reason to believe a crime has taken place. Police officers and other government employees search people every day. There are many good reasons the government might have to search someone. For example, the person might be acting in a suspicious or strange way. Or a police officer might see something against the law before the search. It is often hard to know if the government has a good enough reason to do a search. Often a judge will have to decide. The full text of the Fourth Amendment is below. How can a police officer or other member of the government get the right to search someone? The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.