What does the term 'arrest' mean in a legal context?

In a legal context, the term 'arrest' primarily refers to the action of restricting a person's freedom of movement. When law enforcement authorities arrest an individual, they are taking that person into custody, which means the individual is no longer free to leave and is under the control of the police. This action is usually based on reasonable suspicion or probable cause that the individual has engaged in criminal activity.

This definition is grounded in the fundamental rights of individuals under the law, which state that one can only be deprived of their liberty under specific legal circumstances. While charging someone with a crime is often a subsequent step following an arrest, the essence of an arrest is about the immediate action of detaining the individual, not the formal charges that may come later.

The other options pertain to various legal processes but do not capture the core meaning of an arrest. For instance, informing someone of their rights is typically associated with the Miranda warning that must be given once an arrest occurs, and preventing someone from entering a location involves trespassing laws rather than arrest. Thus, the action of restricting freedom directly defines what an arrest is in the legal framework.