What triggers the Miranda warnings?

• A. Noncustodial questioning.
• B. Custodial interrogation.
• C. Any questioning outside a police station.
• D. Only during written statements.

Answer: (B)

Miranda warnings come into play only when a person is in custody and being interrogated by police. Custody means a reasonable person would feel they’re not free to leave, and interrogation means the police are asking questions or engaging in conduct likely to elicit an incriminating response. If you’re not in custody or the questioning isn’t designed to provoke a confession, the warnings aren’t required. Location doesn’t by itself create custody—someone can be in custody at a scene or in a police vehicle—and even then warnings are tied to the act of interrogation, not merely to the act of talking or the form of the statement.