Episode #2: Street Smarts from Veteran Los Angeles Prosecutor, Jonathan Cristall, Esq.

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Street Smarts from Veteran Los Angeles Prosecutor, Jonathan Cristall, Esq.

Most of the skills we know about life don’t come from the classroom! No one in a typical high school teaches us how to fight off online predators, or reason with a police officer who’s harassing us in the street. If we want to learn how to survive in the “real” world, we often have to teach ourselves through trial and error.

Our guest today is a father of three who worried about what might happen if his kids weren’t taught life lessons about consent or the dangers of social media. He sat down and wrote a long list of all the topics he felt he needed to teach his kids outside of the academic sphere... and then went ahead and published it. His name is Jonathan Cristall, a City of Los Angeles prosecutor, and his book is called What They Don’t Teach Teens: Life Safety Skills For Teens and the Adults Who Care for Them.

Jonathan and I both know what happens when you learn your lessons the hard way. He was arrested in his teenage years, I was arrested in my twenties. Jonathan for nonviolent property offense, me for possession of meth. And we know we’re not alone, because 1 in 3 Americans are arrested in their lifetimes. Another person is put in cuffs every three seconds. There are about as many people with arrest records as there are with college degrees in the U.S! Not to mention, people of color are much more likely to be unjustly targeted by law enforcement.

With such overwhelming statistics about the American criminal justice system, we all need to know how to talk to cops. Unfortunately, Jonathan noticed that most people don’t know their basic rights when dealing with police officers. He explains the implications of this concern thoroughly in his book, and today’s episode.

Critical Insight: How To Talk with Police Officers

One significant fact most people are unaware of is their right to refuse a search. If officers have a search warrant or have probable cause due to the situation at hand, they can lawfully search without your consent. Otherwise, you have to agree...and often they get you to agree by asking you veiled questions like: “Do you have anything in your pockets I should worry about?” or “Why don't you let me see your phone?” No matter what, you don’t have to answer these questions or consent to these searches.

You might be asking yourself: won’t invoking these rights make cops more suspicious? Maybe, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know that denying consent is an option. Even if cops are rough with you on the street, knowing your rights will help you defend yourself when the court date rolls around. Exasperated, overworked cops tend to be rough in the moment, so Jonathan recommends not putting up a fight with an officer in the street. Without being rude, you can peacefully exercise your right to silence and to refuse search. Later, you can hold a police officer accountable for their actions in front of a judge.

Use Your Rights for Good, not Evil

 If you know your rights, Jonathan warns they should only be used for good. In our interview, Jonathan shares an example of a young man who committed sexual assault–and filmed it. Then he sent it to his friend. When the police asked to search the friend’s phone, he refused, on the bias of an unlawful search. By protecting his friend, he kept justice from being served. When invoking your rights, Jonathan insists on focusing on doing the right thing, not withholding important evidence as that may prevent someone dangerous from being brought to justice.

Life Skills, Smarts, and Sex

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