During an interrogation, a suspect is questioned by the police in a formal setting regarding their potential involvement in a crime. An interrogation can only be done while following a strict set of rules including the necessity of the police force to inform the suspect of their Miranda rights. Miranda rights set out the specific rights to remain silent and the right to an attorney free of charge if the suspect cannot afford to hire a private attorney. Rights can be invoked at any time during an interrogation.
The term interrogation is reserved for cases of a criminal nature as opposed to information gathered within a civil or family legal case. In most countries, the interrogation is contained within a process that allows the legal authorities to consider the guilt or innocence of the suspect and decide which next step to take. The police have it within their power to charge a suspect with a crime after interrogation and hold them or release them with no charges or even released pending further investigations.