Opinion ID: 662420
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The High Crime Area

Text: 17 The area in which a suspect is observed may serve as the background against which additional information is interpreted. See United States v. Garrett, 959 F.2d 1005, 1007 (D.C.Cir.1992) (neighborhood was factor in interpreting observed transaction made from anonymously identified vehicle as drug transaction), United States v. Rickus, 737 F.2d 360 (3d Cir.1984) (inordinately slow and apparently aimless driving of car at 3:30 a.m. through residential area recently victimized by a rash of burglaries); United States v. White, 655 F.2d 1302, 1303-04 (D.C.Cir.1981) (transaction in high drug area interpreted to be drug related). However, in the absence of additional information, mere presence in a high crime area is not sufficient to justify a stop. See, e.g., Brown v. Texas, 443 U.S. 47, 51-52 (1979) (two men meeting in alley in neighborhood frequented by drug users insufficient to justify stop), 3 WAYNE R. LAFAVE, SEARCH AND SEIZURE Sec. 9.3(c) (2D ED.1987) (presence in high crime neighborhood--while not sufficient in itself--is one factor that may be weighed in justifying stop).