Anyone arrested for a crime has a right to protect themselves under police investigations. But people often don't know that and end up making mistakes that harm their case and decrease the chances of getting a favorable outcome.

When being investigated or interrogated by the police, there are three important things that people must know in order to protect their rights and give them a fighting chance to defend themselves. 

1. Don't Talk Your Way Out of an Arrest 

Often, people have the idea that they can talk and explain their way out of the situation. They think that if the police only knew their side of the story, they could understand that they had nothing to do with the crime they were arrested for. 

Police officers will try to get you into this mindset, creating a narrative that they are a listening ear that's there to help. They may say that they need the arrested's side of the story in order to provide some sort of assistance or guidance. 

But this is just a tactic used by police officers during interrogations. They're trying to do something else entirely. 

The Police Can Let Someone Go If They Have Enough Facts to Determine Innocence 

There's no truth in police officers saying that they can help or potentially let someone go if they knew and understood their side of the story. In fact, if they had enough facts to know that the accused didn't have anything to do with the crime, they could very well choose to end their investigation there — without the accused having to say anything at all. 

The Police Don't Want to Hear Your Side of the Story 

The police ask questions not to get someone's side of the story. Instead, they do so to help fill in the gaps and get the remaining facts they need to charge someone with a crime. They likely don't have enough information to write up a report and recommend prosecution or there's one element that they need to make sure of or get clarification on. 

This is the true nature of a police interrogation. And they will employ all sorts of tactics to get the information that they need. 

2. Talking to the Police Will Only Make Matters Worse 

Talking to the police is akin to giving them all the information they need to write up a report and recommend that the person be prosecuted. There are no instances when speaking up during a police interrogation leads to favorable results — they almost always end up making matters worse. 

Provide Evidence to Arrest You of a Crime 

The police conduct interrogations to pool the information they need to arrest a person for a crime. When they tell their side of the story, they're filling in the gaps in facts and providing the remaining details the officer needs to write up their report for the prosecution. 

Tie You to a Series of Other Crimes 

The police are under no obligation to tell the accused any details about why they are being investigated. Their job is only to ask questions — not provide any answers. In some cases, police can investigate someone for an incident that is unrelated to what they have been arrested for. They may tie the accused to a series of other crimes to close existing cases. 

While it's unfair and unjust, it's the reality of the police culture. Hence, fully participating and cooperating in the police interrogation never yields anything good. 

3. Tell Your Side of the Story to Someone Committed to Helping You 

Instead of talking to the police, people should instead speak to someone committed to helping them — their attorney. 

Police Can Twist the Story 

The most valuable asset that a person under investigation has is their story, and it shouldn't be wasted talking to the police. Officers have the capacity to twist and exaggerate facts or leave out important parts to create a strong case against the accused. So anyone arrested or under investigation should protect their side of the story from the police. 

Important Information Can Be Leveraged By an Attorney 

Instead, these facts should be entrusted to a criminal defense attorney. Instead of using the story against the accused, a lawyer will be able to use it to build a strong defense, negotiate a plea, and put up a good fight in a trial. 

All these three things are very strong, valid reasons to avoid talking to the police under any circumstance. Exercising the right to remain silent can go a long way in giving the accused a fighting chance for freedom.