What is the process called when a suspect is taken into custody?

The process of taking a suspect into custody is referred to as an arrest. This legal action involves law enforcement officials informing the suspect that they are being taken into custody and outlining the reason for this action. The arrest typically requires probable cause, meaning that the officers must have a reasonable belief that the suspect has committed a crime. Once a suspect is arrested, they are usually booked, which involves collecting personal information, taking fingerprints, and documenting the charge(s) against them.

While detainment implies holding someone temporarily and can occur without an arrest being formalized, it does not encompass the legal authority or process that comes with an arrest. Seizure generally refers to the taking of property, rather than a person, and apprehension can refer to the act of catching or capturing someone, but it is a broader term that may not always imply that the legal processes of arrest have taken place. Therefore, the term that specifically denotes the legal act of taking a person into custody is "arrest."