Miranda warning, also known as Miranda rights, is a formal statement in which a person being arrested is informed of their basic civil rights under the jurisdiction of the United States. Through this warning, an officer of the law enforcement notifies the individual of their right to remain silent, as well as to an attorney. Such principles reflect the foundation of the legal system of the United States, in which both sides are protected by a comprehensive set of rights in order to eliminate bias and enable an objective investigation of the case.
The obligatory nature of the warning serves the interests of both sides of the process. First of all, the person being detained possesses an inherent set of rights, which must be respected within the framework of the court of law. They are guaranteed by the United States Constitution, and depriving a person of them would be a major violation of this fundamental law. Rogers and Drogin (2019) state that it would be a misconception to believe that every resident is fully informed of their rights by default. Furthermore, a failure to provide a notification of rights may render the defendant’s testimony inadmissible in court, as it can be dismissed due to possible coercion. This way, Miranda warnings align with the interests of both defendants and prosecutors.
On the other hand, it appears possible to argue for the redundancy of rights in some special cases. For example, the arrest of a dangerous criminal or a person responsible for major terrorist threats is often deemed as not requiring a Miranda warning. In such cases, the situation may develop in a matter of seconds, making it necessary to incapacitate the perpetrator before starting legal procedures. From this perspective, it may be contextually appropriate to postpone Miranda warnings until the public safety is secured. In other words, the possibility of a direct, immediate threat to people’s lives outweighs legal formalities (Rogers & Drogin, 2019). Nevertheless, Miranda warnings should not be ignored completely, as they form the core of a transparent trial. Therefore, even if they are not presented at the moment of an arrest, Miranda rights will be given later once the situation is secured and prior to launching formal legal procedures.