Which standard did Graham v. Connor (1989) establish for evaluating use of force?

• A. Reasonable suspicion
• B. Objective reasonableness
• C. Probable Cause
• D. Strict scrutiny

Answer: (B)

The main concept tested is the standard for evaluating police use of force established by Graham v. Connor. The best answer is objective reasonableness: the force used is judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, given the info available at the time, and not with perfect hindsight. This means courts assess whether the action was reasonable under the totality of the circumstances, including factors like the seriousness of the crime, any immediate threat to the officer or others, and whether the suspect was resisting or attempting to flee. The goal is a practical, on-scene standard rather than a subjective belief or a retrospective judgment. Reasonable suspicion applies to stops, probable cause to arrest or search applies to those actions, and strict scrutiny is a high-level constitutional test used in different contexts, not for evaluating use of force.