Legal Definitions - self-incrimination

Self-incrimination is when someone provides information that suggests their involvement in a crime or exposes them to criminal prosecution. The Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution protects individuals from being forced to incriminate themselves. This means that individuals have the right to refuse to answer questions, make potentially incriminating statements, or testify in any criminal case.

For example, if someone is arrested for a crime, they have the right to remain silent and not answer any questions that may incriminate them. They can also refuse to testify in court if their testimony may lead to their own prosecution.

However, there are limitations to this privilege. For instance, artificial entities like companies cannot assert this privilege. Also, non-testimonial physical evidence like blood and DNA tests, handwriting samples, or fingerprints are not protected.

Overall, self-incrimination is the act of providing information that may suggest one's involvement in a crime or expose them to criminal prosecution. The Fifth Amendment protects individuals from being forced to incriminate themselves, but there are limitations to this privilege.