Arrest is the act of taking a person into custody for a suspected or observed crime, allowing for further questioning or formal charges. While police typically hold this power, many places like England and Wales permit citizen's arrests under specific conditions, with similar laws existing in France, Italy, and Germany. To prevent abuse, arrests must be justified by probable cause (as in the US), and most democracies limit pre-charge detention to roughly 24–48 hours before release or charging. The word derives from the French arrêt meaning "to stop," and slang terms like "nicked" (UK) or "collared" (US) reflect its common usage. Procedures vary globally; for instance, India requires no formalities, while the US distinguishes between a brief investigatory stop and a full arrest. For minor crimes, US officers often issue citations instead of detaining, whereas serious crimes lead to booking and pre-trial detention.