If you stand accused of skipping school, explain that you didn’t skip school, but you did give someone a ride home when you know you weren’t supposed to. If you’re accused of throwing a party when your parents are out of town, explain that you didn’t have a party, but you did invite a few close friends over to hang out.
Even if you’re telling the truth, repeating your story out of order will be difficult. Don’t be too rehearsed about it or your parents will know you’re lying. Rehearse your gestures as well as your words. If your gestures look forced, that’s a clear indicator that you’re not being forthcoming.
Don’t give yes or no answers to longer questions or it will look like you’re avoiding answering the question. For questions requiring longer answers, be concise and keep your answer focused and courteous.
The longer your story is, the easier it is to get tripped up by details. The best lies are the ones that are rooted in truth. Include as much truth as you can and fudge only on the details that will get you in trouble.
Honest people don’t use lines like, “Would I lie to you?” so you shouldn’t either. The more defensive you get, the more dishonest you seem.
By not making eye-contact, you are essentially proving that you are guilty of the crime. Hold the eye contact, even when you feel uncomfortable. Looking away or avoiding eye contact will make you look guilty.
Don’t cross your arms over your chest. This makes you look closed off and threatening, but not trustworthy. Don’t touch or cover your mouth. This implies that you don’t know what to say. Don’t fidget. Fidgeting only makes you look guilty and anxious.
Crinkle your eyes when smiling. This makes your smile look more genuine. Don’t smirk. Smirking usually suggests that someone is being disingenuous.
If you stand accused of cheating on a test and you know you were actually at the nurse when the test was occurring, have the nurse call your parents and explain. If someone else knows who committed the crime, convince that person to come forward and exonerate you.
If you’re accused of stealing money from your parent’s wallet, point to all the money you just made baby-sitting as a reason why you wouldn’t need to steal. If you know that your brother really wants a new video game, but he doesn’t have the money, point to that as a possible motivation for committing the crime. If you know someone else has a clearer motivation for committing the crime, suggest them as a possible suspect.
Set up a trap to catch the criminal. If you’re accused of stealing food from the pantry, set up a hidden video camera above the pantry to see if you can catch the person in the act. If you think you know who did it, stage a conversation with that person and try to trick them into confessing. Record them on your smart phone and use the recording to prove your innocence. Remind your parents that under American law, you are innocent until proven guilty. [11] X Research source
