Evelyn Del Rosario to Present Free Talk on the Fourth Amendment

According to HCC Assistant Professor Evelyn Del Rosario, the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides us with significant protections against unreasonable intrusions on our privacy – all in just a few short lines.

“The Fourth Amendment protects that which we deem as a society to be private,” Del Rosario says. “However, this amendment is both wonderful and complex. The courts have given the amendment so much more meaning by instating exceptions where these protections may be diminished under certain circumstances.”

Del Rosario will present a free community lecture, “The Fourth Amendment of the U.S.: Know Its Meaning and How It Protects Your Rights,” on Tuesday, March 16, at 6 p.m., to explore the significance of the Fourth Amendment and the regulations that guide its implementation.

For example, in a case of “reasonable suspicion,” an individual can be stopped for suspicious behavior and patted down by a police officer. However, in a case of “probable cause,” the officer has tangible evidence of criminal activity, leading to an arrest. In these two scenarios, the protections afforded under the Fourth Amendment are different.

“When someone is merely stopped, they may only be legally subjected to a pat down,” Del Rosario says. “However, when a suspect is arrested on probable cause, the officer can conduct a full search of the suspect’s body and person. While the protections are still there, the Fourth Amendment does not protect as much once the person is arrested.”

Professor Evelyn Del Rosario has long believed in educating the community about their rights, as it has been at the heart of her work as an attorney and as a professor. She holds a master’s degree and law degree from the University of Baltimore, with concentrations in criminal and constitutional law. She is currently the coordinator of the criminal justice program at Howard Community College. During her time at HCC, she has instructed incoming recruits at the Howard County Police Department about criminal law and the Maryland judicial system. She previously served as legal counsel to national and multinational firms in Washington, DC, specializing in civil, constitutional, immigration, and criminal matters.

Del Rosario’s presentation is the fourth in the five-part Social Sciences Lecture Series that will take place on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. during February and March.

The series continues on March 23 with Dr. Eric Clark’s “De-escalation Techniques from Behind the Wall.”

Each lecture will be held virtually and is free and open to the public. For more information and to register for the lecture series, visit howardcc.edu/lectureseries.

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