arrested

Yep. You read that right. The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that suspects can be strip-searched by police... even for traffic violations.

In the 5-4 ruling, the Court said that people arrested for even the most minor of violations can be strip-searched whether or not police have any reason to suspect contraband.

The case, Florence v. Burlington, involves Albert Florence, a man who was  riding with his wife when she was pulled over by a New Jersey trooper. Because Florence owned the vehicle, the officer ran his license and discovered a warrant for an outstanding noncriminal traffic fine.

Florence had already paid the fine and carried an official letter proving it, still, the police arrested him and dragged him off to jail, where he was incarcerated for six days and subjected to two invasive strip searches.

And the Supreme Court ruled that was ok.

Though the Court ruled that such stip searches were only permitted when the prisoner was to be housed in the general population of a jail, we still find this troubling. So do at least 10 other states which prohibit strip searches without reasonable suspicion.

Keep in mind, being arrested is not the same as being found guilty, and hope that you aren't arrested because you forgot to pay a traffic fine. The next person being strip-searched could be you.