Theft-What should we do?

[Jetter2]

Texas, Okay all here is the problem. I currently have a 16 year old son. Last April, he took a controlled substance to school because he had tonsillitis.(pain killer pills) They caught him, and he was put on 6 months of deferred probation. Now, this April, he stole a piece of computer equipment from the school and sold it on Ebay. The item was $300, and is classified as a Class B Misdemeanor. Normal probation for a class B Misdemeanor in Texas, is 6 months probation. It's the equivalent of him walking into Wal-Mart, and stealing a $51 item. The school as refereed him to Juvenile probation, and I got a call today. They told me that the Juvenile Probation dept. is taking him to court, for court ordered probation. I have told him I'm not paying for a lawyer, and I will need to go sign a paper tomorrow stating that I "can't afford" one. I told him that it is HIS mess. So it looks like he will be representing himself in court, in front of the judge, against the DA (I suppose?) So this is basically what I have boiled it down to.

They are recommending him for 18 months of Court Ordered probation, when the actual crime only constitutes a 6 month probation term. Their whole basis for this extra year is that he has been on probation already. So I am expecting them to have the county make him appear as a "repeat offender".

My question is, does his case look plausible? He plans on explaining that he did steal it, and that he did sell it. But should he really get an extra year, for simply having medicine with him for tonsillitis? He thinks that he SHOULD get the 6 months probation for what he did, but tacking on an extra year for trying to go to school while sick and getting caught, simply ins't just.

From my standpoint, it looks pretty solid. Giving a kid an extra year of probation, for having medicine for a ligament cause in school just doesn’t seem right to me. What do YALL think though?

 

[enjay]

I think that it's fair and if you don't do something about your son's behavior he's going to be looking at much more than probation in the future.

 

[rmet4nzkx]

Most schools have a policy of not allowing medications on site unless they have written orders from the doctor and the medicaiton is dispensed by the nurse. That being the case, even if he had a ligetimate reason for the medicaiton, he could be cited simply because he didn't follow policy. If he did, have the medication in the bottle and it was appropriately dated he might have gotten away with it. Even if he was sick, he is not qualified to Rx scheudle 3 medications. But having lose schedule 3 drugs in his pocket looks like intent to sell. Did he ever go to the doctor for the illness and what medications did the doctor perscribe? If so, he might want to ask the doctor for those records to use to mitigate the recent charges, otherwise it is customary to impose the maximun sentence when probation is violated.

Your son needs to learn to obey the law rather than look for excuses to get him out of trouble. I saw the other thread. consult the recruiter, they can tell you what they can do better than we. If you can get him in the military, it will do him good, bit he will have to stay out of trouble. You might ask the recruiter about deferrred and pre enlistment programs.

 

[Florid-aise]

I can only add that I wholeheartedly agree that your son needs to learn to obey the law, the larger issue here, is society in general. Your son, in order to fit into society, will need to learn the expensive lesson that society does not desire thieves and/or rule breakers. Better to learn that early than late.

The second item, would be that you, Parent, have made difficult choices. Tough choices. And for good cause. For your son, and for society in general. To refuse to condone his offensive conduct, and to refuse to be an enabler. Rescuing him from his concious acts. Face the music, sleep in the bed made. These are the lessons you are teaching and you are to be commended for them. For if you do not, society certainly will.