Law Society of Ontario (LSO) Paralegal Practice Exam

What is a primary criterion for detention?

1. Ensuring the suspect's safety during an investigation

2. Ensuring attendance at court and maintaining confidence in justice

3. Collecting evidence against the accused

4. Preventing outside interference in the investigation

The correct answer is: Ensuring attendance at court and maintaining confidence in justice

The primary criterion for detention in the context of law enforcement primarily revolves around ensuring attendance at court and maintaining confidence in the justice system. Detention is a legal process that is used to hold an individual in custody to secure their presence at trial. This is particularly important to prevent the accused from fleeing or failing to appear in court, which would undermine the judicial process. Maintaining confidence in justice is also crucial because effective enforcement of the law requires that individuals adhere to court appearances. If individuals believe they can avoid accountability by not appearing in court, it could lead to a breakdown in the legal system's integrity. Thus, the rationale behind detention includes both practical concerns about attendance and broader considerations related to public trust in the administration of justice. While the other options touch on important aspects of law enforcement and investigation – such as ensuring safety, collecting evidence, and preventing interference – they do not specifically address the primary legal justification for detaining a suspect, which is fundamentally tied to ensuring their appearance at court and maintaining the overall integrity of the justice system.