Juvenile suspects need to understand their rights

For nearly 60 years, U.S. law enforcement authorities have been required to advise suspects of their right not to self-incriminate. The Miranda Warning, including the phrase “you have the right to remain silent,” has become so ingrained in the culture that it’s a routine plot point on most TV crime dramas. But what happens when someone in police custody doesn’t really comprehend Miranda rights that cover not just a 5th Amendment right to stay silent but a 6th Amendment right to counsel? Such is often the case with juvenile defendants.