What is the primary legal consequence of failing to provide Miranda warnings?

The primary legal consequence of failing to provide Miranda warnings is that confessions may be excluded from trial. This principle is rooted in the Fifth Amendment, which protects individuals against self-incrimination. When law enforcement officers interrogate a suspect without first informing them of their rights—such as the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney—any statements made during that interrogation could be deemed involuntary and thus inadmissible in court.

The rationale behind this is that the Miranda warnings are designed to ensure that individuals are aware of their rights and can make informed decisions about whether to speak to law enforcement. If those rights are not communicated, the integrity of the statements made during the interrogation is compromised, leading to potential exclusion of those statements as evidence during legal proceedings.

In contrast, failing to provide Miranda warnings does not lead to automatic admissibility of evidence, criminal charges against officers, or outright dismissal of cases, as these are not direct legal outcomes associated with the lack of proper Miranda advisements. The focus is primarily on the impact on confessions and statements made by the suspect.