Under the Equal Protection Clause, what is prohibited in police interrogations?

The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment ensures that individuals receive equal treatment under the law, and this extends to law enforcement practices, including police interrogations. Coercion or force to obtain information is prohibited because it undermines the integrity of the legal system and violates the rights of individuals to fair treatment.

Utilizing coercion or force can lead to false confessions and wrongful convictions, which contradicts the principles of justice and fairness that the Equal Protection Clause aims to uphold. By prohibiting such practices, the law seeks to protect individuals from abusive tactics that could lead to unreliable or involuntary statements, thus reinforcing the importance of due process and respect for individual rights in the criminal justice system.

This principle ensures that interrogations are conducted in a manner that respects the suspects' rights, maintaining the fairness of law enforcement practices.