The main difference between the two is that false arrest requires an arrest, but, false imprisonment only requires unlawful detention. False imprisonment occurs when someone holds another person against that person's will.Learn about this criminal offense here. Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree is a New York criminal offense imposing harsh penalties on anyone who restrains another person. Learn the difference between the tort and the crime of false imprisonment, the elements of a claim, and how it differs from false arrest and kidnapping. The U.S. arrestee or released prisoner will need to fill out an application and pay for an emergency passport at US Embassy Nassau the next business day. Denied, 517 U.S. 1189, 116 S.Ct. 1676, 134 L.Ed.2d 779 (1996)(internal citation omitted). Law enforcement has the right to arrest someone only if there was probable cause. Black's Law Dictionary defines false imprisonment as "A restraint of a person in a bounded area without justification or consent. Long Island Defense Lawyer Defending Clients Accused of Unlawful Fleeing From A Police Officer.