Stopped by Police? What Teens and Parents in the U.S. Need to Know

The short version: stay calm, keep your hands where officers can see them, don't run, argue or resist, and don't answer questions without a parent or a lawyer. If you think an officer did something wrong, challenge it later through a lawyer or a formal complaint. The street is not the place to win that argument.

• Ask: "Am I being detained, or am I free to go?" If you're free to go, walk away calmly. If you're being detained, ask why.
• You can stay silent. Say it out loud: "I want to remain silent." You generally can't be arrested just for declining to answer questions. Pick one approach and stick with it: answering a few questions and then suddenly stopping can look suspicious. And don't lie, because false statements can make things worse.
• Searches. Say clearly, "I do not consent to a search." Officers may search anyway in some situations, but your objection is on the record. Never physically resist a search or pat-down.
• ID. Some states have "stop and identify" laws that require you to give your name if you are lawfully detained. Check the rules in your state; your state ACLU's website is a good place to start.
• Recording. You generally have the right to record police in public places as long as you don't interfere. Do it openly and calmly.
• Remember the details: names, badge numbers, patrol car number, agency, time and place, and who else saw what happened.

1. Give only basic identifying information, then say: "I want to remain silent. I want a lawyer. I want my parent or guardian." Questioning should stop.
2. Your age matters. In J.D.B. v. North Carolina (2011), the U.S. Supreme Court held that a child's age must be taken into account when deciding whether the child was "in custody" (and therefore entitled to Miranda warnings), because kids are more likely than adults to feel they can't simply walk away.
3. State rules differ, and some are stronger. California, for example, requires anyone 17 or younger to consult a lawyer before being interrogated in custody or waiving Miranda rights, and that consultation can't be waived (Welfare and Institutions Code § 625.6). Rules about notifying parents also vary by state. Whatever they are, ask for your parent right away.
4. Don't "just explain it," and don't sign anything. Young people are especially prone to false confessions under pressure. According to the National Registry of Exonerations (a 2013 analysis cited by the Innocence Project), 38% of exonerations in cases involving people under 18 included a false confession, compared with 11% for adults.
5. Assume phone calls from a station are recorded (except calls with your lawyer). Don't discuss the case with friends or family on the phone.

School police and resource officers can stop, question, search and arrest students just like other officers. You can still ask, "Am I free to go to class?" and ask for a parent or guardian to be present before you answer questions.

• Write everything down as soon as you can: what happened, who was there, badge and car numbers. Photograph any injuries and get medical care if you need it.
• Tell a parent or another trusted adult. If your rights were violated, you can file a complaint with the police department's internal affairs office or civilian oversight board and contact your state ACLU or a legal aid organization. Public defenders and legal aid groups can help if your family can't afford a lawyer.

• Arrests of people under 18 peaked in 1995 and have fallen by more than 75% since.
• The under-18 share of all U.S. arrests dropped from 15% in 2000 to 7% in 2024.
• Youth arrests rose between 2021 and 2023 and fell in 2024. Only 8.5% of youth arrests in 2024 were for violent offenses in the FBI's Part 1 category.

Source for the figures above: The Sentencing Project, Youth Justice by the Numbers (November 2025).

Talk about this before it happens. Make sure your teen knows your phone number by heart and that you have the number of a lawyer or a local legal aid office. If your child is being questioned, ask whether they are under arrest or free to go, say that you want to be present and that your child wants a lawyer, and don't encourage them to "just clear things up."

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws differ by state and change over time; for your situation, talk to a lawyer, your state ACLU or a legal aid organization. Prepared by the editors from ACLU guidance, U.S. Supreme Court case law, California statute and data from The Sentencing Project and the National Registry of Exonerations (November 2026).