"Renfrow" represents an aberration in the law. The court offered no relief against a patently unlawful practice involving the search of thousands of innocent children. Available from William S. Hein & Co., 1285 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209. (Author/IRT)

A decision by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a case from Minnesota illustrates the difficulties schools face in deciding when and how to search a student for possible weapons or drugs. Case shows courts tend to give school officials a measure of flexibility when applying the law. Advises board members and administrators to consult with…

Discusses how to determine whether a school-related search is reasonable. Suggests 10 guidelines to avoid suits over illegal searches. Recommends that school authorities exercise extreme care to protect themselves against suits alleging Constitutional violations. (MS)

Every year, a few administrators mishandle school searches and create spectacles similar to the New Castle, Pennsylvania, incident involving six illegally strip-searched students. Principals using "cops-and-robber" techniques to unearth contraband may not realize the potential for infringing on students' constitutional privacy rights.…

Discusses case law regarding schools and strip searches of students, and offers five generalizations regarding the matter. (SR)

Reviews 18 criminal cases decided by state appellate courts that have applied standards set forth by U.S. Supreme Court in "New Jersey v. T.L.O" which defined extent to which public school officials could constitutionally search students and their property. Contends Supreme Court made it possible for state courts to practically expunge…

Presents an essay examining homeless shelter residents' freedom from unreasonable searches. Reviews the historical background of the Fourth Amendment's ban on unreasonable search and seizure. Explores factors considered when determining what is "reasonable." Analyzes the concepts of standing, what constitutes a home, and consent.…

Discusses how predicting violent activity with a youth violence profile in school raises legal concerns focusing on the validity and use of profiles as social science evidence: the impact of potential discrimination, search and seizure, and the implications for privacy. Argues that these issues rest on fundamental concerns about the general…

By upholding a student's refusal to provide a urine sample, the Seventh Circuit Court correctly avoided further erosion of the Fourth Amendment's privacy principle. In "New Jersey v T.L.O." (1995), the U.S. Supreme Court shrunk the probable-cause standard to reasonable suspicion in the special context of public schools, retaining the…

This analysis of a November 2001 case in Botetourt County, Virginia, looks at whether the Fourth Amendment right against an unreasonable "seizure" or the 14th Amendment "liberty" for parents to control the care and custody of their children requires a ban on, or at least immediate notification regarding, detentions of a…

Based on past court litigation, this publication summarizes students' rights concerning search and seizure, exceptions to these rights, and the legal effects of violating these rights. Administrative recommendations are made. (MLF)

United States immigration statutes and administration policy are not in line with the standards of due process as guaranteed by the Constitution. In addition, reform of these statutes has lagged far behind advances made in other areas of civil rights. (Author/EB)

Provides a model of search and seizure procedures available to public school officials and a discussion of the legal liability and risks involved in the use of the different procedures. Discusses probable cause, warrant requirements, and reasonable suspicion. Includes an appendix with a sample search and seizure policy. (MD)

The United States Supreme Court's first decision on student search and seizure required that school officials have reasonable cause in conducting a search in order to enforce school rules or counter a threat to the school environment. Not analyzed was when a search will be considered intrusive. (MLF)

The author reviews court decisions in relation to public school teachers' and administrators' roles in searching and seizing goods belonging to students. The article outlines ways to protect Fourth Amendment guarantees against unreasonable searches. (MD)