Arrest – The Big Words Blog Site

A key focus of my blog is Legal Affairs. Getting arrested is sometimes justified but it can also be an unforeseen negative life event in some cases. How you deal with such an occurrence is critical. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Approaches to Staying Calm When You’ve Been Wrongfully Arrested.

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Experiencing a brush with the law is one of the most incredibly overwhelming things that can occur. There’s a natural surge of emotions that happen like fear and confusion. Being wrongfully arrested is undoubtedly one of the most stressful things that can happen, but here are some key steps to help you navigate this challenging situation:

Know Your Rights

Understanding your Miranda rights properly can help you to navigate this situation safely. Understanding that you have the right to remain silent and that you have the right to an attorney is essential. You can exercise your right to stay silent and you have consulted with the best criminal lawyer so you can avoid any type of self-incrimination.

Do Not Be Confrontational

It is vital that we keep our composure in this situation, and doing anything to escalate tensions within the moment can be seen as a threat to the arresting officer. You should avoid any form of confrontation such as shouting or making any sudden movements. When we speak slower and calmly, we are inviting the other person to mirror us, and in those highly stressful situations, our instinct is to speak fast and loud. But do what you can to slow everything down. One of the best things you can do is to start nasal breathing and particularly focus on breathing in for 5.5 seconds and out for the same volume of time, which can help reduce your fight or flight.

Immediately Ask for an Attorney

It is your constitutional right to speak with an attorney, and having legal representation present during questioning will protect your interests and prevent you from accidentally incriminating yourself. When we feel stressed, especially when arrested for something we haven’t done, we can feel tempted to admit to something if we’re placed in a pressure cooker situation. Remember your Miranda rights, stick to the basics, and politely inform officers you are invoking your right to remain silent until legal representation turns up. But you will still need to provide basic identification information. However, you should refrain from discussing details of the incident without the legal help present.

Be Observant

If you need to make complaints in the future about an officer’s behavior, you should take note of their badge number, names, and patrol car information. Take the time if possible to repeat these in your mind. There should always be a log of this information, but it’s definitely worth keeping your eyes peeled.

Do Not Resist Arrest and Be Respectful

A tense situation such as this is naturally stressful, but throughout the process, be respectful and ensure that you avoid offensive language or anything that can be interpreted as aggressive body language. Resisting arrest can lead to additional charges and escalate the situation even further, even if the arrest is unwarranted. We should follow the officer’s instructions calmly to avoid any further complications.

Remember that you are entitled to legal help, and cooperating within legal boundaries is crucial when you are wrongfully arrested as you can then protect yourself and ensure a fast, smoother resolution of the issue.

A key focus of my blog is Career Discussions. In some instances individuals have been convicted of crimes, look for employment afterwards and must face the reality of the possibility of being denied. Not being transparent can create issues as well and have consequences if discovered. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Tell Your Boss You Have A Record.

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There is something so shameful about being arrested. It’s not that other people have to make you feel ashamed of it, but the years of being told how to stay out of trouble can often get the better of you. The five stages of dealing with an arrest make it clear, but it’s so important that you know that your arrest isn’t the end of the world.

If you have been arrested for a crime, you know that you have had a tough few days. You’ve been away from home and you’ve been through it and likely not slept – you also have a court case coming up where you will discover whether you will get a sentence of four to six months for your crime, or if they will take a little pity on you. Either way, it’s not going to be an easy conversation to have with your boss. You have to tell them about what’s going on – and you have to be honest about it.

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The first thing that you need to do before you tell anyone anything, is know what’s happening. You need to know why you were arrested and what you will be facing. Depending on your profession, you could lose your job, but that doesn’t mean that you should keep it all to yourself. You need to talk to your employer – especially if you are anticipating a spell in prison. It’s important to know your formal charges, what your probation conditions are (if any) and what court dates will be. With this information, you can approach your boss for a conversation.

There is always a question about whether you legally need to tell your boss about the arrest and the situation going forward, and the answer to that is a resounding yes. Your employer has a right to know if there is any illegal activity going on – though you can hold the fanfare about traffic tickets. When you have everything that you need, set up a meeting via your human resource department and meet with your boss face to face. This isn’t something to talk about over the phone!

Take it slow when you do see your boss. It’s not a good idea to dive right in! You need to think about a meeting with no interruptions – this is one conversation you don’t need people listening in on. This needs to be a calm meeting without any yelling or shouting. This is going to be the most important part of the meeting; you need to remain as calm as possible at all times, as your boss is going to have to make some tough decisions with regard to your future in the business. There will be some tough things to hear, but hear them you must. You have to represent yourself well, and the best thing to do is to stick to the facts and find out the next steps for you. An arrest can change your life, but you may not be completely cut off from your future – and that’s what this meeting is for.