You've Got The Right!

Being Detained. Being Barred. Being Searched. Think You Don’t Have a Say? Think Again. Teens Are Entitled to Their Rights Under the Law…and Here Are Some You Should Know About.

- Sandy Fertman Ryan

You’re at the mall and just finished drooling over some earrings. You walk out of the store and a security guard approaches you and says, “Come with me.” What should you do?

Many stores have security staff, but laws vary in each state as to what they can do. Some have a relaxed law saying that if personnel believe you’ve shoplifted, they can hold you for a short time to recover stolen merchandise. Other states are stricter: Before you can be stopped, someone must have seen you hide the item and leave without paying for it. Then they must approach you outside of the store. If they don’t follow those rules, they could be liable for a bevy of violations (to find out what the law is where you live, check out girls life. com/iti). Best advice if you are innocent yet busted? Calmly tell the security officer that you haven’t stolen anything and that you are leaving. If he or she tries to physically take you somewhere, tell him not to touch you and you will wait outside the store until the police arrive. And remember: You don’t have to tell the police *anything* without your parents or a lawyer present.

Big announcement at practice: Everyone on your team is going to be drug-tested. Isn’t that an invasion of privacy?