Have You Ever Been Tempted to Make a Citizen’s Arrest?

In my new book Compulsion, protagonist Emily Stone makes it her mission to track down the criminals who terrorize neighborhoods in her home city and beyond. If there is a pedophile, rapist, or murderer yet to be captured, Stone will be hot on his trail. She uses her recording equipment, her trusted firearm for protection, and her keen instinct concerning the criminal mind to gather evidence that she then hands over to police. Emily Stone, for reasons both of safety and the ability to continue to work, chooses not to reveal her identity to law enforcement or the criminals she has brought to justice. However, there admittedly are some people who would be thrilled by the chance to be the hero with their name in lights. Have any of you dreamed about capturing a wanted villain with your own strength and wit and then parading him into the police station?

What if Emily Stone had decided to take the next step and attempt a citizen’s arrest? Is this an action that really occurs in our society, or it is merely a phrase we use when someone’s behavior is annoying us? “If that guy at the next table doesn’t stop screaming into his cell phone, I’m going to make a citizen’s arrest!” I checked out the law, and every state except for North Carolina allows all of us to make a citizen’s arrest for a felony crime to which we are a witness. In North Carolina, you can detain a criminal and wait for officials to arrive, but you may not transport him.

Naturally, the advice from law enforcement is not to endanger yourself by confronting a suspect who is possibly armed and dangerous. It is interesting to know, however, that the option is out there!

The criminals featured in Compulsion are definitely not men who would accept a citizen’s arrest without violent fights that would likely result in death. Emily Stone is probably wise to leave the actual apprehension to others, with simply her hidden efforts putting her in enough danger. I hope you will read Compulsion and then let me know if you agree!

Might have to add another poll on this one...