What happens if I steal something by mistake... am I going to jail?

Criminal Law Topics
1

So, I’ve never had any issues before, no tickets or anything, but I made the dumb mistake of stealing something at Target. I got charged with misdemeanor theft. I’m really worried… will I end up in jail for this? Anyone been through something similar?

2

Hey, I’m sorry you’re going through that. A misdemeanor theft charge for a first-time offense is usually no big deal. You might not even go to jail if you get into a diversion program. It’s basically an alternative to jail time if you’ve never been in trouble before.

3

@Ren
Wait, what’s a diversion program? Does it mean you get off easy?

4

Sam said:
@Ren
Wait, what’s a diversion program? Does it mean you get off easy?

Yeah, it’s kind of like a probation thing. You do community service, counseling, and stuff like that instead of going to jail. If you complete it, the charges might get dropped and wiped off your record.

5

Wow, that’s a relief to hear. I didn’t know about diversion programs. Definitely better than jail time .

6

I had a similar situation, but they didn’t give me a court date right away. They just said they might mail me one. Is that normal? Will they definitely send it?

7

Bran said:
I had a similar situation, but they didn’t give me a court date right away. They just said they might mail me one. Is that normal? Will they definitely send it?

Yeah, sounds like they’ll send it later if they press charges. It could take a while though. But I wouldn’t worry too much yet, as it’s not a guarantee they’ll go after it.

8

I wouldn’t stress too much about jail time, especially for a first offense. The odds are super low. A good lawyer can probably get you out of it.

9

I was in a similar situation too, but the lawyer went to court for me. Is that normal? Can you just send a lawyer instead of showing up yourself?

10

Charlie said:
I was in a similar situation too, but the lawyer went to court for me. Is that normal? Can you just send a lawyer instead of showing up yourself?

Yeah, totally normal! A lawyer can handle it for you. They can show up in your place and even enter an appearance for you.