[message to activists]
Most states allow police, during interrogations, to lie in order to get a confession from the suspect. This can include claiming that there was DNA evidence, or claiming that one of the other suspects in a group already confessed, or that someone has informed on the suspect. Statistics suggest that children are persuaded by police to make false confessions at a rate three times higher than adults.
Without representation or the presence of someone they might trust juveniles are at the mercy of their interrogators. With no understanding of the life-long consequences of a criminal record juveniles are in no position to represent themselves.
Help us protect the rights of children in the hands of the police. Urge your representative to support the Juvenile Interrogation Protection Act.
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[Message to Legislator]
Support the Juvenile Interrogation Protection Act (HB0269/SB0053)
As your constituent I strongly appeal to you to support the Juvenile Interrogation Protection Act.
Most states allow police, during interrogations, to lie in order to get a confession from the suspect. This can include claiming that there was DNA evidence, or claiming that one of the other suspects in a group already confessed, or that someone has informed on the suspect. Statistics suggest that children are persuaded by police to make false confessions at a rate three times higher than adults.
Without representation or the presence of someone they might trust juveniles are at the mercy of their interrogators. With no understanding of the life-long consequences of a criminal record juveniles are in no position to represent themselves
What does the Juvenile Interrogation Protection Act do?
- It requires that police officers make a reasonable attempt to notify the juvenile’s parents or guardians and provide the necessary information about the situation, where the juvenile is, and how they can contact them.
- It requires that the juvenile be provided with a lawyer either chosen by their parents or provided by the public defender’s office before they are interrogated (unless there is risk of imminent harm).
- It restricts the use of evidence gathered in an interrogation that did not follow the above restrictions.
Existing Maryland statute and precedents provide that reasonable efforts should be made to notify a parent of the child’s arrest and that the child should be Mirandized. But even with those protections there is no bright-line rule against non-emergency interrogations without an attorney’s advice.
Help us protect the rights of children in the hands of the police. I urge you to support the Juvenile Interrogation Protection Act.
