You will see it covered in swanky television shows all the time when characters are falsely accused of a crime and thrown into the back of a police van to be taken to prison. However, it will probably be a scenario you have never once thought could actually happen to your or someone you care about. In the event that you find yourself or a loved one in this position, it is important you have some idea of what to do so that you are protected and being treated with fairness and dignity while going through this difficult ordeal. In this short article, you will get some helpful information about what you need to know and what to do to make this process go smoothly and in your favor.
Knowing your rights
The first thing you need to have absolute clarity on is your rights when you are taken to a police station or to jail,so you are able to navigate this process with calm and repose. The rights you have include the right to remain silent, which means you do not have to speak to the police if you do not feel able to or do not understand what is happening. All you should do at this point is to ask to speak to a lawyer so that you can get confidential and helpful advice about what to do and say.
What to do if someone you love has been arrested
If it is not you but rather someone you care about that has been taken in by the police, you need to be aware of the steps you can take to support someone who has been arrested so that they do not feel alone in this process. The first thing you can do is to try and speak to them as soon as possible after the arrest and remind them that you are going to do all you can to help and that they have a right to talk to a lawyer before having to say anything to the police. It is especially important you look out for this person if they suffer with any kind of mental health condition as this could cause them to react in a dramatically bad way, potentially doing to saying something that could cause more problems down the line, so alongside speaking to the person who has been arrested, be sure to speak to the police about how to help this person with mental illness.
Getting sound legal representation and advice
The most important thing to do in the scenario is to seek out professional help. A Conspiracy Solicitor will help to give you or the person you love professional advice and have lots of experience within the system to help you all navigate your way through the ordeal without losing your heads.
Getting arrested or seeing someone you care about go through such a process can be a very distressing time, but there are meaningful things you can do to help them. By keeping calm and following the above advice, you can make the process just that bit easier for everyone.