It can be stressful to be under criminal investigation. If you’re in that situation, then you’re probably concerned about what a conviction will mean for your freedom, your future, your finances, and your reputation. This is understandable given the stakes involved, which is why now is the time to take action to ensure that you’re protecting yourself as fully as possible.
How do you do that? One way is to ensure that your interactions with the police play out in your favor.
Top reasons why you should avoid talking to the police
In far too many instances, accused individuals end up talking themselves into trouble as they try to tell their side of the story to try to avoid being under suspicion. Therefore, if you want to avoid being hit with serious allegations of wrongdoing, then you might want to avoid talking to the police. Here’s why:
- They can’t promise you anything: The police might make many promises to you as they try to get you to talk. But the truth is that they don’t have the power to give you anything. For example, only the prosecutor can decide to charge you with a lesser offense or give you immunity, so don’t take the police at their word.
- Your words will be taken out of context: Even if you know exactly what you’re going to say to the police, your statements can be twisted, taken out of context, and used against you. This can leave you facing criminal charges that you otherwise may have avoided.
- The police can lie to you: The police have no obligation to tell you the truth. This means that they can lie to you about having incriminating evidence against you. They may even say that someone else has implicated you in the crime. This is an effective way to get you to try to explain the circumstances to try to avoid suspicion, but actually causing you to open up and put yourself at risk.
- The police will try to act like you’re helping them: A lot of people talk to the police because they come to trust investigators. This happens when law enforcement officers buddy up to an accused individual. Remember, the police aren’t your friend. They have a job to do, and they’re out to accomplish it.
- Silence doesn’t equate to guilt: A lot of people are worried that remaining silent will make them look guilty. You shouldn’t worry about how something looks, though. You should worry about preventing the prosecution and law enforcement from obtaining evidence that proves guilt rather than giving a mere perception of guilt. After all, there’s a reason why you have a Constitutional protection against self-incrimination.
- You may have defense options that are better geared at protecting you: Depending on the facts of your case, you might have more criminal defense options available to you than you realize. That’s why it’s important to remember that talking to the police isn’t the only way to try to protect yourself from being accused of a criminal offense.
Consider letting an attorney help you protect yourself
Talking to the police during an investigation can be incredibly dangerous. That’s why as soon as you get looped into an investigation you might want reach out to a criminal defense attorney who can help you come up with a strategy to navigate police activity and any potential charges that may be levied against you. By being proactive, you’ll hopefully be able to fully protect your interests and avoid the harsh penalties that may otherwise be awaiting you.