Your Basic Rights
Your Basic Rights
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Your Rights When Dealing With the Police
Should you speak with the police officer? Should you let the officer search your home or car? And what happens if you don’t?
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Failure to Identify to a Police Officer: Laws & Penalties
Law enforcement officers routinely ask people for their names and other identifying information. Police may ask for the information as part of a specific criminal investigation.
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Good Samaritan and Bystander Laws
Learn about Good Samaritan laws, their purpose, and their protections, and what responsibilities bystanders may have in emergencies.
Learn About Your Rights When Police Want to Talk to You
Learn About Your Rights When Police Want to Talk to You
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), primarily responsible for enforcing federal immigration and customs laws. Its powers include investigating, apprehending, arresting, detaining, and removing aliens within the United States.
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When Can the Police Search My Car?
The constitution says that you have a right to be free from unreasonable searches of your home, your person, and your car. Car searches rarely involve a search warrant issued.
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How to Talk to Police When You're Pulled Over
Nobody likes to get pulled over, but if a police officer does stop you, you need to know how to talk to the officer. The main thing to remember is that a police officer approaching your car has no idea who you are and whether you pose a threat.
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Tactics Police Use to Get a Confession
Police officers use a variety of interrogation tactics in order to obtain confessions from people accused of committing crimes. Know what to expect and how to protect your rights.
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Racial Profiling and the Police
Racial profiling is the act of suspecting or targeting a person based on assumptions and characteristics of a certain racial group rather than the person's actual behavior. Police engage in racial profiling when they make decisions based on race and not a suspect's behavior.
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Police misconduct refers to illegal or inappropriate action taken by an officer. It can involve a violation of state law, federal law, or police department rules and regulations. Acts of police conduct range from filing a false report and tampering with evidence to racial profiling and excessive use of force.
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What Can I Do When the Police Tow and Impound My Car?
The police tow vehicles for many reasons, and it can be a hassle trying to get a car back once it’s been towed. Read below to find out when the police can legally tow a vehicle, and what to do if it happens to you.
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You can face criminal consequences for intentionally lying to police. It doesn't matter if you lie to help yourself or a friend or if you lie to get someone in trouble—any of these situations can mean criminal charges.
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Warrant While Incarcerated: Multiple Warrants
There are times when an individual may have one or more arrest warrants on record, even while they are already in a correctional facility for another crime.
Rights of Minors in Police Questioning
Rights of Minors in Police Questioning
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Can the Cops Question My Child as a Suspect?
Police are free to question children about their suspected involvement in a crime, but just as an adult can't be forced to answer, a child doesn't have to talk to the police. And the fact that no parent is present during an interrogation can sometimes affect whether the child's statement can be used in court.
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Can Police Question a Child Victim or Witness?
Learn when and how police may interview child victims and witnesses, what options parents have, and what laws protect the rights of child victims.