Final answer:
The Fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government or law enforcement. It requires a search warrant based on probable cause and specifies the place to be searched and items/people to be seized. The amendment aims to ensure legal protection and prevent the use of illegally obtained evidence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government or law enforcement. It requires that a search warrant be issued based on probable cause and specify the place to be searched and the items or individuals to be seized.
The main principle of the Fourth Amendment is to ensure the legal protection of citizens who may be accused of a crime by the state. It prevents the use of illegally obtained evidence by the police and courts, and sets limits on police when investigating a crime.
However, there are certain types of searches in which citizens are not protected by the Fourth Amendment, such as searches conducted by schools in students' lockers for evidence of a crime.