Temporary detention means holding, for a limited time, a person who is not yet answerable to a criminal offense.

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Temporary detention is a brief, time-limited holding of someone who hasn’t been charged with a crime. It’s used so police can verify identity, gather facts, and ensure safety without turning the person into an arrestee. Because the person hasn’t yet been answerable to a criminal offense, the detention is intentionally short and ends once investigators have enough information to decide whether to arrest or release. It cannot go on indefinitely; if more time is needed, authorities typically must either arrest with probable cause or release, depending on the law of the jurisdiction. A warrant isn’t always required for a brief detention—many systems allow these stops based on reasonable suspicion or similar standards for investigative purposes. The main idea is that temporary detention is a short, non-arrest holding used before formal charges or arrest.