What action means formally charging a person with a crime?

• A. Arrest
• B. Indict
• C. Parole
• D. Probable Cause

Answer: (B)

Formally charging a person with a crime is done through an indictment. An indictment is a formal accusation issued, in many jurisdictions, by a grand jury that there is enough evidence to bring the individual to trial on specific charges. It signals that the case has moved from investigation to prosecutorial action and sets the stage for arraignment and trial. Remember, an indictment does not prove guilt; it simply asserts that there is sufficient cause to proceed.

Other terms serve different roles: arrest is about taking a person into custody, usually based on probable cause or a warrant; probable cause is the reasonable belief that a crime has been or is being committed and that the person involved is connected to it; parole is a release from prison under supervision after part of a sentence has been served. Some systems may file an information instead of an indictment, but the action described here—the formal charging of a crime—is indictment.