Final answer:
The Miranda rights apply to a suspect in custody and are designed to protect the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. These rights must be read to the individual upon custody by law enforcement. Option a
Step-by-step explanation:
The Miranda rights are a crucial legal safeguard to ensure that a suspect's Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination is protected. Specifically, the Miranda rights apply a) only if the suspect is in custody. This means that the right to be informed of one's rights and the protection it offers against self-incrimination and the right to counsel are triggered by a person being taken into custody by the police.
It is at this time that the rights must be read to the individual to ensure that any statement they make is voluntary and not the result of coercive police tactics. The right to have these warnings provided is not dependent on whether the suspect has been indicted or whether a lawyer has been appointed; rather, it is specifically related to the custodial situation.
The history of the Miranda rights stems from landmark cases like Miranda v. Arizona and Escobedo v. Illinois, which helped define the legal landscape for interrogations and the rights of suspects. These cases emphasize the importance of the due process of law and the necessity for the police to inform suspects of their rights to remain silent and to have an attorney present during questioning. Option a