Police
The police can help you in many ways. Their role in society ranges from controlling pedestrians to catching traffic offenders and from visiting schools and giving talks, to solving crimes and sending people for prosecution. If you have become aware of any criminal activity, feel threatened, or are lost and need help, you can call on the police.
The police can question you if they think you might know something about a crime. In such a case, if you have been aware of something that might help the police, then you should tell them. If you are involved in the incident that has taken place and the police want to talk to you, here are some things to bear in mind. You must give your name and address, but you don't have to say anything else if you don’t want to. If the police want to talk to you for more than a few minutes, they have the right to do so but they should tell you that they are "detaining" you and why. They can keep you in the police station for 6 hours and they should tell the people looking after you that you are at the station.
The police can search you if they have a good reason to suppose you might be involved in criminal activity and they have wider search powers to detain and search you if they think you may be carrying drugs - see also "Drugs".
If you are arrested, you should be aware that, even as a young person, you have the right to speak to a solicitor. It is probably better not to say anything until you have spoken to your solicitor. In this sort of situation, if you or your family don't have a solicitor you use regularly, then the government will often pay for a solicitor to work for you.
In the event that you are charged with a crime (which can happen from age 8), you won't usually go to a court if you are under 16, unless the charge is very serious, such as murder. Most young people accused of crimes go through the children's hearings system. Click on "Children's Hearings" for more information.
