Final answer:
Surveillance allows law enforcement to observe a suspect discreetly without their knowledge, aiming to gather evidence without confrontation or illegal search and seizure. It must be legally justified and balanced against civil liberties and constitutional rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of surveillance allows investigators to observe a suspect without arousing his or her suspicions. This method is critical for ensuring that a suspect's behavior is monitored and additional evidence can be gathered without direct confrontation or illegal methods. The goal of surveillance is to collect information in a manner that does not alert the suspect, thereby avoiding any alteration in their behavior or tipping them off to an investigation.
Surveillance can sometimes challenge the balance between civil liberties and security, particularly when dealing with matters of national concern, such as terrorism. However, it must always be conducted within the legal frameworks that govern search and seizure, privacy, and the Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and to counsel.
In scenarios where suspects are being monitored for crimes, law enforcement agencies must carefully navigate these issues to ensure their actions are justified and constitutional.
For instance, in the provided scenario, if the police had a reasonable suspicion that an individual was involved in an armed robbery, they could conduct surveillance within legal limitations but would need to avoid coercion or illegal search and seizure. It's also pertinent to note that while surveillance is a valuable tool for maintaining public safety, the rights of individuals must also be considered carefully to prevent abuses of power.