Although you would hope that your child will never get arrested, it could happen – even if they are innocent. However, you might not know what to do if your child gets arrested, which means that you may not know how to advise them if they call you. The most important thing to understand is that anything that they say or do can be used against them in court.
Police Tactics When Questioning Minors
The problem with having a child arrested is that they can be tricked into confessing to a crime even if they didn’t commit it. It’s not uncommon for officers to convince a child to write an apology letter or to confess to guilt if the child is scared or nervous. Hopefully, your child will call you to tell you that they’ve been arrested. At this time, you can tell them not to speak with officers until you get there.
When you’re present, your child will be less likely to admit to something that they didn’t do. But be very careful about speaking to your child in the interrogation room. Police officers will often let parents speak to their children alone but will tape or record the conversation that takes place.
How a Juvenile Defense Lawyer Can Help
Your best course of action if your child gets arrested is to contact a juvenile defense lawyer as soon as possible. A lawyer can advise you and your child about what to say to officers. Even if your child has already spoken to officers, a lawyer can help get incriminating evidence thrown out of court, especially if it was obtained through coercion. Even if they can’t, a lawyer could help get the case dropped or the sentence reduced.
If your child has been arrested, then be sure to speak to a juvenile defense lawyer by contacting us at Pinnacle Law today.
