Being arrested is probably one of the toughest and most stressful scenarios that anyone can experience. Thus, if someone you know gets arrested, it will be a great idea to look for ways to extend some help. One of the best strategies you can use is to help your friend or family member get legal assistance. Letting them know that you are willing to provide needed assistance can already ease their minds and help them stop worrying too much about their situation.
Legal Rights of Someone Who Gets Arrested
It’s definitely natural to feel stressed and overwhelmed especially if you are close to the person who got arrested. You might also experience distress and anxiety just thinking about the worst scenarios that might happen after the arrest. However, you need to remain calm and make sure you collect your thoughts. This way, you can think of an effective strategy to help your loved one. First, it would help if you understood some basic rights of someone who gets arrested. Here are a few important pointers that you need to know:
- Right to remain silent—Anyone who gets arrested has the right to remain silent and avoid answering any allegations about him/ her. Thus, your friend, family, or relative can politely refuse to answer questions asked by police officers or any authoritative figure. You can remind your friend that any statement that he/she releases may put him/her in a worse situation.
- Right to get a lawyer—You can help your friend find legal assistance because he/she has the right to have a lawyer when dealing with legal problems. If he/she doesn’t have a personal attorney, you can help by looking and contacting someone reliable to help him/her deal with the situation.
- Right to reasonable bail—Depending on the situation, your friend or family can be released via bail. This can help him/her get out of jail while preparing for trial. You can help by looking for a reliable bail bond agent who can get you cash to help your friend or family get out of jail fast.
Helpful Ways to Help Your Loved One Deal with the Arrest
Understanding the rights of someone who gets arrested can provide you with ideas that can help your family or friend improve his/her situation. Aside from reminding them about their rights, you can also perform other useful activities to help your friend deal with the situation. Here are other important steps that you can take to ensure that the scenario won’t get worse:
- Stay calm and polite when speaking with police officers—You might feel irritated or even angry when police officers come and arrest someone you know. However, avoid being rude and never say anything bad to the officers. This may only make the situation worse for your friend or family. Thus, try your best to stay calm and polite no matter what.
- Ask why your friend or family is being arrested—Ask the charge for the arrest. This way, you can start doing some research and finding ways to deal with the situation. Also, if you will be looking for an attorney, it will be easier to help them grasp the situation if you know why your friend or family got arrested.
- Find out where your friend or family will be detained—Another important thing to note is the location where your friend or family will be booked. With this, you can take the necessary steps to get him/ her out of jail as soon as possible.
- Make suggestions like getting a lawyer or a public defendant—Let your friend know that he/she has the right to get a lawyer or a public defendant. This will help assure him/her that someone can get him/her out of the situation.
- Help your friend raise enough cash for bail—Find out if your family or friend can be released via bail bond. If yes, you can help him/her raise enough amount of money immediately. This way, your family or friend doesn’t need to stay detained for too long.
Supporting someone accused of criminal charges may not be easy. However, if you want to help your family or friend, you still need to help them deal with the situation. Remember, guilty or not, that certain person still needs your assistance. Reminding them that they have someone who will support them no matter what can help ease their worries. Also, let them realize that it’s best to follow legal procedures to avoid making the situation worse.
