Theft under $500

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee

My son is 15 years old. When he was 12 he was arrested for posession (a girl gave him a piece of marijuana at a bus stop) and they threw the book at him then. He is on probation (unsupervised) until he is 18. His probation is supposed to be only for drug-related offenses, but the probation counselor says that it can be revoked for any offense. He was recently cited for theft under $500 (shoplifting) in the mall. A girl (notice a theme here?) was seen by store security taking a necklace and giving it to him to conceal.

I'm worried that a judge could possible put him away for a very long time over this. I'm a single parent and can't afford a defense attorney, but I do work so I don't qualify for a PD. Can anyone give me some useful advice?

With juveniles the court aim is to rehabilitate and deter young offenders. The fact your son was on probation will weigh heavily on the judges decision. I would speak to the PO and ask him/her what is the normal sentence for a person in your son's situation.

There are other alternatives to serving time in a JDC. Usually jail time in a JDC is for juvenile felons. Since both crimes committed by your son are misdemeanors I am guessing a stricter probation and house arrest are in the future.

Keep him away from the bad girls!

all too common so here is my "cut and paste" & my favorite line from Cdwjava

trennels said:

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee

My son is 15 years old. When he was 12 he was arrested for posession (a girl gave him a piece of marijuana at a bus stop) and they threw the book at him then. He is on probation (unsupervised) until he is 18. His probation is supposed to be only for drug-related offenses, but the probation counselor says that it can be revoked for any offense. He was recently cited for theft under $500 (shoplifting) in the mall. A girl (notice a theme here?) was seen by store security taking a necklace and giving it to him to conceal.

I'm worried that a judge could possible put him away for a very long time over this. I'm a single parent and can't afford a defense attorney, but I do work so I don't qualify for a PD. Can anyone give me some useful advice?

Click to expand...

As a parent I feel for you, having said that we all know that accountability is a difficult lesson to teach and you have a great opportunity here to teach it. Take your child have him present himself to the store's attorney when they contact you/him to make restitution (believe me - they will demand a nice chunk from you) and offer an apology. Make him work off every bit of that debt to you. Show it to him on paper - this way he sees the debt in black and white. Cutting lawns, washing cars, dog walking, whatever it takes.

The mere fact that the store has to pay for extra security to take care of these types of potential losses is "damage" enough. You and I have to pay more for products because people are arrogant and feel entitled - so they shoplift.

I've made it very clear to my teenager (she and her friends love the mall) that if I ever get a phone call from the police to come pick her up because either she or her friends have done something wrong, that I will tell the officer to have her make herself at home. If she wants to behave like a thug, she can experience a thug life behind bars until I'm good and ready to come get her.

This may not be the "legal advice" you are seeking here but if we teach our children character, then maybe, just maybe legal advice would not be a necessity.

CdwJava gave this advice...and I loved the thought of Mama's pawn shop.

"As others have said, time to make your daughter pay for the consequences of her actions. While YOU may have to actually write the check, she should be required to pay you back in whatever way she can. Perhaps its time to take away articles of hers as collateral ... phone, computer, radio, TV, iPod, etc. When she has paid you back, you can return these items to you one at a time - she can, in essence, "buy them back" from you like a Pawn Shop."