Knowledgebase FAQs Police Encounters What's the difference between being arrested and being detained? What's the difference between being arrested and being detained?
"Arrested" means you have been taken into custody and can't leave. You can be "detained" for a short period of time if a police officer or other person believes you may be involved in a crime. In either case, you should assert your 5th Amendment right to remain silent and speak to an attorney before saying anything to the police.
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