When you think about your right to remain silent, what comes to mind? Most people may think about police shows or movies in which officers recited the Miranda warning to people they arrested.
But what do the Miranda rights actually protect and guarantee in real life?
Your right to remain silent
Miranda Warning discusses a person’s Miranda rights and what this means. Your Miranda rights primarily protect two things: your right to remain silent, and your right to legal counsel.
Your right to remain silent is largely what it says on the tin. It is your right to say nothing when faced with police interrogation. The police cannot force you to participate or speak against your will.
Note that this does not cancel out a police officer’s right to use anything you say against you in a court of law. In other words, once you invoke your right to remain silent, you need to actually remain silent.
Your right to legal counsel
As for your right to legal counsel, this simply guarantees you access to an attorney. Not everyone can afford legal aid, so the state will provide you with an attorney if you cannot afford one on your own terms.
Legal counsel proves a crucial tool when dealing with police interrogations. After all, they know exactly how to interact with law enforcement. They will know what to say in order to not trip over themselves or accidentally end up incriminating you.
Thus, these two rights actually provide a lot of worth and protecting them is an important thing.