This is dangerous advice. Chances are you cannot "handle your business" to such an extent that you can out-maneuver professionals with years of training whose sole aim is to put you behind bars.
I'm not qualified to say whether this is good advice from an individual's perspective, but from the point of view of a society that would like justice to be done this is just extraordinarily screwed up. How are the police going to solve crimes if nobody will talk to them?
I mean, victims gotta talk to the police right, otherwise there are no crime reports? What about witnesses? When do you stop being a witness and start being a suspect? Is that when you stop talking? Or do you let the theoretical rapist walk free because after all you don't talk to the cops?
It's a completely unsustainable position, and leads to a worse society in pretty much every measurable way.
So I'm supposed to take on the immense risk myself and urge others to do the same? All just for the sake of a nebulous "benefit to society" that the police themselves are not willing to take steps toward? No thank you.
What's the best way to social engineer in this situation. "I'm not talking to you" without agitating them? Just say, "wait until I get my lawyer and we'll talk?" What do you guys think?
if you choose to invoke the right to remain silent, don't say anything until you're in the interrogation room, then demand your lawyer, and go back to being silent until they let you call him, or he arrives.
I see your point, but I want to also social engineer the situation so the officers feel like I want to help them and I am on their side, while also giving no information.
this might be a misunderstanding on the purpose of the Police. If you are being interrogated, they are trying to put you in jail until enough reason is given to not. They are allowed to outright lie to make this happen, so long as you divulge something to them.
This is one of the inherent problems in the "right to remain silent". you are correct in identifying that silence (especially in contracts) is an acceptance in dishonor. Furthermore, by going silent, you are instead accepting a limited subset of rights, in lieu your inherent rights guaranteed by your constitution (in North America anyway), which includes waiving your rights guaranteed by the 4th amendment and 5th amendment.
by saying "yes" to the question "do you understand these rights and they have been read to you", you have given up your right to remain silent, which means you've now waived your original rights, as well as the new rights they read you.
Knowing your rights usually leads to a harder/harsher grilling by the police, as they attempt to test you on them. Not knowing your rights leads to an attempt to railroad you through the system.
The safest path has been "Duress" as implied by Uniform Commercial Code Article 1 Section 308. Inform the police in every encounter (i.e. every time they enter or leave the room) that you are acting under duress, and you intend to cooperate fully. Answer all their questions without hesitation, maybe adding a "please don't hurt me" to the end. If you're given anything to sign, your name now becomes "Without Prejudice" or "Under Duress", so sign it that way. Print that name underneath as well. Once released from police custody, you have 72 hours to inform them that your signature was given under duress, and that you're revoking those agreements/documents signed.
the fact that people are being discouraged to handle their affairs is alarming.
your right to remain silent will still be used against you. And most people are too ignorant to realize when they've given up that right (as soon as you open your mouth and speech comes out).
if you're truly incapable of learning how to handle your affairs, do not talk to police.
