Final answer:
An NCIC hit alone may not constitute probable cause to arrest unless it indicates an arrest warrant, which is based on probable cause. Police must consider the totality of circumstances to make a lawful arrest.
Step-by-step explanation:
An NCIC hit alone is not necessarily probable cause to arrest someone. Probable cause is a legal standard that requires a reasonable amount of suspicion, supported by circumstances sufficiently strong to justify a prudent person's belief that the person being arrested has committed or is committing a crime.
An NCIC (National Crime Information Center) hit can indicate that there is a warrant for someone's arrest, which itself can be based on probable cause and thus warrant an arrest. However, if the hit indicates something less, such as past encounters with law enforcement or other information, it may not be sufficient for probable cause.
Each situation must be assessed individually to determine whether the information available at that time meets the required legal standard for an arrest. The issue of police interrogating individuals without informing them of their rights is related to the Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination.