Comment by: ash

When my friend was a minor she was convicted of retail theft. She was told if she kept good academic status and completed a specific number of community service hours it would be cleared off of her record. She finished all she needed to do and presented the proof. However, when she turned 19 she was convicted again of retail theft. Both were very small thefts in value but when she was convicted she was put in a holding cell for several hours, fingerprinted, and held for questioning. They found her old record and now she is worried she will face jail time. Do you think this is a possibility or is it more likely to be just a fine?
Dear Ash: It sounds like she may have completed a “diversion program” the first time around, which is frequently offered to first time offenders. As long as the value of the item(s) stolen was not very high, she most likely is not facing jail time. We hope your friend has learned from her mistake this time around because if she continues to get caught shoplifting, jail time is more likely. Good luck to her.
(This is information only – not legal advice.)