What does the privilege against self-incrimination protect?

The privilege against self-incrimination protects individuals from being compelled to provide testimony or statements that could incriminate themselves in a criminal matter. This legal protection is rooted in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which ensures that an individual cannot be forced to testify against themselves.

Compelled statements are those that are obtained through coercion or legal pressure, meaning that if someone is required to answer questions or provide information by law enforcement or in a court setting, they may inadvertently disclose information that implicates them in criminal activity. The privilege secures the right of an individual to refuse to answer such questions, thereby maintaining the integrity of their defense and preserving the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Voluntary statements, on the other hand, are made without coercion and are not protected under this privilege because they are given willingly and can be used as evidence. Similarly, statements made in public are not necessarily protected, as individuals have a reasonable expectation that statements they make in public can be observed and used against them. Lastly, statements made under threat might still lead to self-incrimination, but the nature of the threat can complicate their admissibility as evidence, without directly falling under the protection of the privilege against self-incrimination.

Thus, the