Which condition distinguishes a volunteered statement from a compelled one?

• A. A volunteered statement is given without prompting or coercion; a compelled statement results from interrogation after rights advisement or coercive pressure.
• B. A volunteered statement is written; a compelled statement is spoken.
• C. A volunteered statement is admissible; a compelled statement is never admissible.
• D. A volunteered statement is given during trial; a compelled statement is given during interrogation.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is whether the person spoke up on their own, without being prompted or pressured. A volunteered statement is given without prompting or coercion. A compelled statement comes from interrogation after rights have been advised (the Miranda warning) or under coercive pressure. The form of the statement or when it’s given (trial vs interrogation) isn’t what matters—the crucial factor is the presence or absence of prompting/coercion and rights advisement. This is why the volunteered statement is tied to free, spontaneous disclosure, while the compelled one stems from interrogation with rights warnings or coercive influence.