Loitering or prowling is defined as?

• A. linger in public place with apparent purpose at a time or manner usual for law abiding people
• B. linger in public place without apparent purpose at a time or manner not usual for law abiding people and under circumstances that raise alarm for the safety of people or property in the vicinity
• C. travel between two places for business
• D. waiting in a private residence without permission

Answer: (B)

Loitering or prowling hinges on acting in a public place without a legitimate purpose, in a way or at a time that isn’t usual for ordinary, law-abiding behavior, and under circumstances that would alarm a reasonable person about the safety of people or property nearby. That combination of no clear purpose, unusual conduct, and an accompanying sense of potential risk is what makes this behavior fall under the offense.

The best description matches all those elements: lingering in a public place without an apparent purpose, at a time or in a manner not usual for law-abiding people, and under circumstances that raise alarm for safety. The other descriptions don’t fit because they involve having an apparent purpose, traveling for business, or waiting in a private residence, which aren’t the indicators of loitering or prowling.