Do juvenile witnesses or victims require Miranda warnings?

• A. Juvenile Witnesses or Victims Do Not Need to Be Mirandized
• B. They Must Be Mirandized if They Are Suspects
• C. They Must Be Mirandized Along With a Parent
• D. They Do Not Need to Be Mirandized or Their Parent

Answer: (D)

Miranda warnings protect a person’s right to silence when they’re being questioned by police in custody as a suspect. Juvenile witnesses or victims aren’t automatically covered by those warnings unless they’re being treated as suspects or questioned in a custodial setting. So, in typical interview of a juvenile who is just a witness or victim, Miranda warnings aren’t required and a parent doesn’t have to be present for the warnings. The important point is the role of the person being questioned: if they’re a suspect in custody, warnings apply; if they’re simply a witness or victim, they generally do not.