You and your friend are arrested by the police. They separate you and begin talking to you. One police officer tells you that you might as well just confess to the crime because your friend already did. That officer insists that they know everything they need to know to put you behind bars and that they’re just giving you a chance to admit it so that things will “go better for you.”
This is a common tactic that the police use. Certainly, there may be some situations in which it’s true and they actually do have a confession. But don’t assume that that is the case. The police are allowed to lie, and they will sometimes do so – in situations like the one detailed above – in an effort to coerce someone into saying something to incriminate themselves.
Why do the police do this?
Lying is generally just used as a tactic by police because it can manipulate people into doing things they wouldn’t do otherwise. That’s why the police will often focus on young offenders. They assume that these individuals haven’t been through the legal system before and have no idea how it actually works. They think they can trick them into making a false confession or saying something else that impacts the case.
As a result, it’s very important for everyone who is speaking to the police to know that they have a right to legal representation. They also have a right to stay silent. No one has to say anything that incriminates themselves, and they definitely do not have to answer questions that the police pose. They can simply tell the officers that they would like to exercise their right to remain silent and that they will not answer questions without their legal team at their side.
As you can see, though, the police may try to pressure you into making mistakes. This is a problematic situation to find yourself in, with serious ramifications, so you need to know about all of the legal options you have.