What is the difference between reasonable suspicion and probable cause?

Question

What is the difference between reasonable suspicion and probable cause?

Answer 1

reasonable suspicion means that the offender has done something to point to them in the past, and probable cause is when most of the evidence points to the offender

Answer 2

Reasonable suspicion allows the police to open an investigation and name a suspect. Probable cause allows the police to make an arrest and formally bring chanrges.

Answer 3

They're different degrees of mens rea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensrea

Answer 4

They are simply different standards of proof.

Here is the hierarchy of standards of proof, from most stringent to least stringent.  (You've probably heard of many of these)

100% mathematical certainty

Beyond a reasonable doubt

Clear and convincing evidence

Preponderance of the evidence (aka More likely than not, or > 50% likely)

Probable cause

Reasonable suspicion

Mere hunch

You don't have jack sh*t

Zero - Nada - Zilch

Get it?  

Answer 5

Reasonable suspicion is the suspicion that a reasonable person would have under the same or similar circumstances.

Probable cause is the level of suspicion that needs to be satisfied in order to make an arrest of a suspected criminal.  It amounts to knowledge that a crime has been committed and that this suspect probably was the perpetrator of the crime (had the mental set, opportunity, and capability.)  

Answer 6

Reasonable suspicion is when they have a good reason for the person in question to be a suspect. probable cause is what they think may have caused whatever happened.