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Police Interrogation Techniques & Your Right to Counsel

When the police arrest someone they suspect has committed a crime, they frequently interrogate the suspect to seek a confession. Whether or not the suspect is actually guilty, the police interrogators may attempt to manipulate them psychologically into giving a confession. By knowing your legal rights and what to expect from an interrogation, you can help avoid confessing to a crime you did not commit.

Police interrogation techniques are designed to manipulate the emotions and psychological reactions of suspects. The good cop / bad cop routine is an example: one officer aggressively accuses you while the other pretends to be your friend. By exposing you to emotional extremes, they try to break down your mental defenses until you give away information they can use against you.

Their techniques are also designed to prevent suspects from requesting the help of a lawyer. Anyone accused of a crime has the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer. You have the constitutional right not to give away information the police can use against you, which in the context of an interrogation can mean nearly anything at all. You can also request at any point after confronting the police to seek a lawyer’s help, which immediately prevents or ends an interrogation.

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No matter how aggressive the interrogators get, using your right to counsel can prevent them from forcing you to confess to a crime you didn’t commit. If you or someone you know has been arrested, the experienced Champaign defense lawyers of Bruno Law Offices are here to help you. Contact us today at (217) 328-6000 to discuss your case.