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A Miranda warning becomes necessary when a suspect is in custody and subjected to interrogation. This requirement stems from the need to protect an individual’s Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

When someone is in custody, they are not free to leave, and this creates a potential coercion situation where the suspect might feel compelled to provide information. Additionally, interrogation refers to the questioning process aimed at eliciting incriminating responses from the suspect. Therefore, both aspects—being in custody and being interrogated—must be present for the Miranda warning to be required.

If only one of these conditions were met, such as just custody without questioning, the need for a Miranda warning would not arise since there would be no active effort to elicit information. Conversely, if questioning happened without custody, the suspect has the freedom to leave, thereby not requiring the warning in such a case. This dual requirement ensures that individuals are fully aware of their rights when they are potentially at risk of involuntary self-incrimination.