What is required for a legal search of a prisoner's cell based on information received from another inmate?

For a legal search of a prisoner's cell based on information received from another inmate, it is essential to establish probable cause or reasonable suspicion. This is because, in the context of prison searches, corrections officers need a level of justification that suggests contraband or illegal activity may be present in the cell. Probable cause is a legal standard that indicates sufficient factual basis to believe that a search will uncover evidence of a crime or contraband.

Reasonable suspicion, while a lower standard than probable cause, still requires specific and articulable facts that suggest illegal activity, which can come from a variety of sources, including information from other inmates. Such information must be credible enough to warrant a further investigation or a search without violating the inmate's Fourth Amendment rights.

Other options do not provide the necessary legal foundation for conducting a search. Clear evidence of contraband would be ideal, but it is not mandatory before conducting a search; what is needed is a reasonable basis to suspect contraband is present. Information from a police officer can be valuable, but it is not required as long as there is credible information from within the prison setting. Evidence of recent behavior changes may suggest further investigation, but on its own is insufficient for justifying a search without backing that suspicion with probable