text: The answer to this question is the Fifth Ammendment to the United States Constitution. You, as a citizen or resident of the U.S.,  have the right to be free from self-incrimination. However, law enforcement has the right to conduct criminal investigations regardles of whether the suspect is a minor or an adult. I'm sure you've heard on TV, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used as evidence against you in criminal proceedings." This is a mandatory statement used by law enforcement officers to allow a criminal suspect to know that he is a suspect, but he does not have to answer questions or make statements that would incriminate himself. The only difference when it comes to interviewing minors is that they have the right to have a parent or legal guardian present during any questioning. Furthermore, law enforcement officers may not threaten or coerce information form a suspect. In other words, if I beat you for three hours while you were wearing handcuffs, locked in a 95 degree room, and hungry and thirsty, I would have you confessing to Kennedy's assassination, which we can all deduce is probably not true. Statements made from coercion or threats are not admissible in criminal courts. As law enforcement officers, we can ask anything we want to receive the information we need, so long as we don't physically or mentally harm someone. But the Fifth Ammendment says you don't have to answer. Hope this helps.