Just got accepted into a school, but...

[happythedog]

... but I was charged with a disorderly person's conduct, shoplifting. I know, I am so stupid. I feel awful. The case has yet to take place but I'm wondering what might happen, as I've just received notification that a background check will take place soon. This is a first offense, so when I submitted the AACOMAS I had nothing incriminating on there.

Best case scenarios are that the case gets dismissed (due to first offense) or downgraded to municipal ordinance violation. Worse would include conviction of misdemeanor... because it is a first offense and under $200 of merchandise I would not be convicted of anything higher. Either way, I'm nervous about the upcoming background check as it will obviously be different from the AACOMAS. Should I notify the school about anything or wait until the background check is completed? Also, how likely is it for my acceptance to be rescinded?

I know that what I did was extremely foolish, disrespectful, and just plain ungrateful to all that had been provided for me. I may have ruined the bright future I had sitting right in front of me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and please use my mistake as a warning.

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[Brancer]

Ok, here's the deal.

You need a lawyer and you need one now. Disorderly conduct happens, and can very easily be plead down to disturbing the peace and the med schools might not lose their mind. However, shoplifting? that will need to be outright dismissed, and your lawyer may be successful in doing that if its your first offense.

Or you can take it to trial and try your luck.


Now listen closely - in the 5 medical school interviews I've attended, integrity was absolutely critical. Lying via omission is still lying. You are compelled to inform the medical schools of your situation, and yes you're likely at their mercy. If you fall on your sword, explain them the situation, that you're working with the law, and that you came forward immediately to work with them out of the interest of avoiding hiding anything, you stand a good chance of them showing you mercy.

It takes a lot to tell the truth, even when it isn't convenient. It demonstrates that you have integrity. Remind them that you haven't been convicted, and tell the truth.

If you wait and the background check pops something up thats not kosher, you're screwed and they'll rescind without blinking an eye.

Your path is challenging, but you'll be a better person for it in the end, even if medical school doesn't work out because of decisions you've made.

 

[DoReMiFaSo]

Oh boy... Wow...

U need help. @LizzyM @Law2Doc @gyngyn @Goro

 

[Promethean]

I can't add much to what Brancer said. Get that lawyer ASAP. Tomorrow. First thing.

Is it the business owner pressing charges? I'm asking, can you approach the business owner and *beg* them to drop the charges? Be genuinely contrite, explain that you were extraordinarily stupid and that you've learned your lesson. Ask if there is any way that you can make amends without going through the courts. That would probably be your best way to make this go away entirely.

Good luck. Keep us updated about how things work out for you. I'm sorry to hear that you're learning so much the hard way, and I hope you are able to avoid having this derail you.

 

[gyngyn]

If this were my school and you did not both disclose and adequately explain charges made in error, you would be toast.

 

[Promethean]

Also, take the terms of your admission with you when you go see that lawyer. Make sure that there isn't a clause in your offer that stipulates that you have a window of time in which you need to inform the school of any arrests, etc. Even if you are able to get the charges dismissed, if you fail to fulfill all the terms the school set forth when they offered you an admission, you may still lose that seat.

 

[Goro]

I can't sugar coat this. In my opinion, your medical career is over.

You're going to have to report the arrest; check with AACOMAS procedure to verify.

... but I was charged with a disorderly person's conduct, shoplifting. I know, I am so stupid. I feel awful. The case has yet to take place but I'm wondering what might happen, as I've just received notification that a background check will take place soon. This is a first offense, so when I submitted the AACOMAS I had nothing incriminating on there.

Best case scenarios are that the case gets dismissed (due to first offense) or downgraded to municipal ordinance violation. Worse would include conviction of misdemeanor... because it is a first offense and under $200 of merchandise I would not be convicted of anything higher. Either way, I'm nervous about the upcoming background check as it will obviously be different from the AACOMAS. Should I notify the school about anything or wait until the background check is completed? Also, how likely is it for my acceptance to be rescinded?

I know that what I did was extremely foolish, disrespectful, and just plain ungrateful to all that had been provided for me. I may have ruined the bright future I had sitting right in front of me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and please use my mistake as a warning.

 

[IsWhat]

I sure hope you were extremely intoxicated messing around with a bunch of friends - which ultimately led to you making a terrible mistake. Only then would your actions seem pallitable. Everyone makes mistakes, but straight up theivery without extraordinary circumstances is about as bad as it gets.

 

[DoReMiFaSo]

I sure hope you were extremely intoxicated messing around with a bunch of friends - which ultimately led to you making a terrible mistake. Only then would your actions seem pallitable. Everyone makes mistakes, but straight up theivery without extraordinary circumstances is about as bad as it gets.

Sigh, hard to disagree... But I think OP is in plenty of pain already, no need to

OP had this... 3.98 cGPA, 4.0 sGPA, 29 MCAT

 

[Supernatural17]

http://www.usnews.com/education/blo...dical-school-applicants-with-criminal-records


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[Promethean]

I sure hope you were extremely intoxicated messing around with a bunch of friends - which ultimately led to you making a terrible mistake. Only then would your actions seem pallitable. Everyone makes mistakes, but straight up theivery without extraordinary circumstances is about as bad as it gets.

Bah, extreme intoxication is no good either. Nor peer pressure. Both of those scenarios dig the hole deeper, with even worse judgment or weakness of character mixed in.

This is a case where there needs to have been some terrible misunderstanding. Maybe there was an intent to pay for the item, but it got tucked under an arm and forgotten about? Investigating whether there might be some alternative understanding of what exactly occurred is the reason that an excellent defense lawyer needs to be retained immediately.

 

[AvrgPreMedKid]

What can possibly be worth shoplifting at this time in your life? Under $200... A GoPro? Some sort of electronic? I haven't shoplifted since I was under 18 and that was the only way to get liquor. Smh.

 

[samac]

. . . I don't sugar coat anything so here ya go: I think you're done for. It's not some small charge. Disorderly conduct AND shift lifting?
I wouldn't want a thief in my medical school class with me.

 

[happythedog]

I was told that the shoplifting qualified as a disorderly person's conduct; they are not two separate things. Shoplifting greater than $200 makes it go from disorderly person's conduct to a 4th degree crime. I am not sure if that helps at all anyway.

I stole food from a grocery store, the dumbest mistake of my life. I was not intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. Because no violence or mind-altering substances were involved I am hoping to be eligible for a conditional dismissal program. http://www.njlaws.com/conditionaldismissal.html

Please, advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[mathnerd88]

I was told that the shoplifting qualified as a disorderly person's conduct; they are not two separate things. Shoplifting greater than $200 makes it go from disorderly person's conduct to a 4th degree crime. I am not sure if that helps at all anyway.

I stole food from a grocery store, the dumbest mistake of my life. I was not intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. Because no violence or mind-altering substances were involved I am hoping to be eligible for a conditional dismissal program. http://www.njlaws.com/conditionaldismissal.html

Please, advice is greatly appreciated.

You need to report this to all medical schools you've applied to. I'm afraid your medical career is over. If you didn't, and someone finds out, you're liable for the tuition AND your degree gets stripped.

Why would you want to break laws with a promising career? You just set yourself back ten years.

 

[samac]

I think the fact that you weren't under the influence of anything makes it worse.
You willing, knowingly chose to steal.
You have to report it. If they find out and you hide it you're absolutely toast.
But I'd revoke your acceptance.

 

[BackForrealz]

... but I was charged with a disorderly person's conduct, shoplifting. I know, I am so stupid. I feel awful. The case has yet to take place but I'm wondering what might happen, as I've just received notification that a background check will take place soon. This is a first offense, so when I submitted the AACOMAS I had nothing incriminating on there.

Best case scenarios are that the case gets dismissed (due to first offense) or downgraded to municipal ordinance violation. Worse would include conviction of misdemeanor... because it is a first offense and under $200 of merchandise I would not be convicted of anything higher. Either way, I'm nervous about the upcoming background check as it will obviously be different from the AACOMAS. Should I notify the school about anything or wait until the background check is completed? Also, how likely is it for my acceptance to be rescinded?

I know that what I did was extremely foolish, disrespectful, and just plain ungrateful to all that had been provided for me. I may have ruined the bright future I had sitting right in front of me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and please use my mistake as a warning.

I know a guy who had a similar charge, and he told the ADCOM( well I know the director who told me the story). The director said that the offense was too recent to just overlook, if it had been 4 years they would have dismissed it.

ACTUALLY* this was literally the exact same situation. The student informed him that the charges were pending and there was no conviction. In this case , the student decided to self report and come clean.


Honestly, this is a major set back. You have to make a gamble here, (1) don't report (2) report.

(2) route: When you report it, your admission will be revoked in about two seconds. You will have to do something in the mean time, then reapply in at least 2 years.


(1) don't report, (A) you can possibly fight the charge and have it removed.

In fairness, it would be in your best interested to (1) don't report. If going to this medical school this year is your main goal. Now, if you get caught you just set yourself back even further;however, that is " IF". Yes, it's not the politically correct answer;however, think about those people who got wait listed.

But be cautious , if someone knows about this situation and feels that you are doing the wrong thing, they can report you apple too easy.

 

[deleted731525]

Honestly you arent going to get good advice here. Everyone here will be as pessimistic as possible. Im not saying that youre not screwed because I have no idea, but you need to seek a professional(a lawyer) with experience with similar situations.

 

[BackForrealz]

Honestly you arent going to get good advice here. Everyone here will be as pessimistic as possible. Im not saying that youre not screwed because I have no idea, but you need to seek a professional(a lawyer) with experience with similar situations.

I don't think they are being pessimistic. They are being honest and objective.

 

[deleted731525]

I don't think they are being pessimistic. They are being honest and objective.

Maybe, but most(maybe with the exception of 2 people) of the people posting have no experience with this situation and are just going on "what they think". This is not the time to be making decisions based on the opinion of pre-meds and first year med students. Dude needs to find a reputable lawyer with experience in this situation.

 

[BackForrealz]

Maybe, but most(maybe with the exception of 2 people) of the people posting have no experience with this situation and are just going on "what they think". This is not the time to be making decisions based on the opinion of pre-meds and first year med students. Dude needs to find a reputable lawyer with experience in this situation.

He was asking how the ADCOMS would perceive it. Premeds and other majors tend to know people, and have friends.

 

[echo87]

The background check will pick it up. What happens next is largely up to the adcoms, I'd wager.

 

[docisthegoal]

Man why would you do that? Your stats are awesome for DO and you would have most likely gotten into MD somewhere. I think the risk of not telling Adcoms hugely outweighs the risks of telling them so I don't think withholding this info from them should not even be a thought. But then again I'm not on faculty so that's just my theory.

 

[Promethean]

. . . I don't sugar coat anything so here ya go: I think you're done for. It's not some small charge. Disorderly conduct AND shift lifting?
I wouldn't want a thief in my medical school class with me.

Oh, please. You will have them. Tons of them. I'd be surprised if you have many classmates who *haven't* pirated some lecture vids or textbook pdfs. That is, technically, theft, and on a much greater scale than walking out with an unpaid for grocery item. I'm not claiming that it is totally okay so long as everyone is doing it, btw, just pointing out that very many people do. The fact that they weren't caught doesn't make them better than someone who was.

And stealing food from the grocery store? I did that when I was a kid. I got caught right away, because I'm an idiot and it was a stupid and thoughtless thing to do. Should it wreck my whole life? I'm going to bet that I'm not remotely the only person who ever made that mistake and still turned out to be an over all decent and productive member of society.

OP had really bad timing. If s/he was going to make this error, it should have been made when s/he was still a minor and long before applying for medical school. No question about that. And yes, doctors are held to an extraordinary standard because our errors in judgment carry such potential to do harm. I still have the sense that this is not a case of someone trying to steal for financial benefit. It wasn't jewelry or electronics or money, but rather food. Not knowing OP's full situation, that alone makes me wonder if there aren't some mitigating circumstances.

 

[TUVIX]

I know a guy who had a similar charge, and he told the ADCOM( well I know the director who told me the story). The director said that the offense was too recent to just overlook, if it had been 4 years they would have dismissed it.

ACTUALLY* this was literally the exact same situation. The student informed him that the charges were pending and there was no conviction. In this case , the student decided to self report and come clean.


Honestly, this is a major set back. You have to make a gamble here, (1) don't report (2) report.

(2) route: When you report it, your admission will be revoked in about two seconds. You will have to do something in the mean time, then reapply in at least 2 years.


(1) don't report, (A) you can possibly fight the charge and have it removed.

In fairness, it would be in your best interested to (1) don't report. If going to this medical school this year is your main goal. Now, if you get caught you just set yourself back even further;however, that is " IF". Yes, it's not the politically correct answer;however, think about those people who got wait listed.

But be cautious , if someone knows about this situation and feels that you are doing the wrong thing, they can report you apple too easy.

Terrible advice. Just terrible. It's far better to have his medical career be over now then to take out loans, possibly relocate for school, and go through all of the hassles and hurdles of starting medical school just to be booted out at any time that this surfaces. By the way, that could be in third or fourth year if a clinical site does a background check. Just terrible advice.

 

[Lebowski9]

Hire Saul Goodman?

 

[echo87]

Terrible advice. Just terrible. It's far better to have his medical career be over now then to take out loans, possibly relocate for school, and go through all of the hassles and hurdles of starting medical school just to be booted out at any time that this surfaces. By the way, that could be in third or fourth year if a clinical site does a background check. Just terrible advice.

OP was stupid for doing this, but you are being very hyperbolic... So are a lot of people in this thread...

 

[dial1010usa]

Is there any person here who has never done any mistake in their life doesn't matter big or small? We all have done some stupid mistakes. If you get caught you are bad if not you are good. OP is asking for opinion not to slam at him. no one has the right to say that choose another path or its over only GOD knows. Op faith in GOD you will be fine. As someone suggested above get a lawyer or if you have enough courage ask your accepted school.
Good Luck!

 

[samac]

Is there any person here who has never done any mistake in their life doesn't matter big or small? We all have done some stupid mistakes. If you get caught you are bad if not you are good. OP is asking for opinion not to slam at him. no one has the right to say that choose another path or its over only GOD knows. Op faith in GOD you will be fine. As someone suggested above get a lawyer or if you have enough courage ask your accepted school.
Good Luck!

...... Really.
God is not helping you out of this one.

 

[Brancer]

OP was stupid for doing this, but you are being very hyperbolic... So are a lot of people in this thread...

Truthfully, the advice I gave wasn't to help him keep his seat in medical school. It was to help him express his integrity. He is completely and totally at the mercy of the adcom, and his integrity is already in question with the charges (And I remind everyone that they're charges. Charges does not equal a conviction, so lets not call him a thief until he gets his day in court.)

People make mistakes and are responsible for addressing the consequences as well as growing from the lessons learned. The best thing he could do here as a person is to be honest from day one and let the system work. Any advice to the contrary is directly lying via omission, only serving to enhance the questions about his character.

 

[cliquesh]

You probably ought to report it. Hopefully you can have the case dismissed. If you can get it dismissed you'll probably be alright. If not, try to have your lawyer get you an outcome that is expungeadle. You will still need to report expunged records, but at least it looks slightly better. I know physicians with criminal records (all involving alcohol), so I don't think it's absolutely game-over at this point.

 

[Lebowski9]

Honestly my best advice right now is you say nothing (don't report or make contact with the school) until you've spoken with an attorney. You need to have your game plan ready.

 

[DrMikeP]

Speak with an attorney. Then maybe with the store owner and explain the cost of your mistake. Offer to work for free until med school and see if charges get dropped. I'm not hearing you didn't do it. Drunk or not doesn't matter.

Ultimately, the way it stands you must own up and throw yourself at the adcoms mercy at some point because it will likely show on background. Goro is likely completely right.

Best of luck

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[AvrgPreMedKid]

The thing is, even if you get past the background check for medical school, won't they do another for residency?

 

[NVO]

You can probably hire a lawyer to have the charges dropped. Shoplifting is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. I am unsure how arrests should be reported for amcas/medical schools.

 

[ortnakas]

Oh, please. You will have them. Tons of them. I'd be surprised if you have many classmates who *haven't* pirated some lecture vids or textbook pdfs. That is, technically, theft, and on a much greater scale than walking out with an unpaid for grocery item. I'm not claiming that it is totally okay so long as everyone is doing it, btw, just pointing out that very many people do. The fact that they weren't caught doesn't make them better than someone who was.

If people got kicked out of medical school for pirating study materials we would have a SERIOUS doctor shortage.

 

[yeasureyoubetcha]

Speak with an attorney. Then maybe with the store owner and explain the cost of your mistake. Offer to work for free until med school and see if charges get dropped. I'm not hearing you didn't do it. Drunk or not doesn't matter.

Ultimately, the way it stands you must own up and throw yourself at the adcoms mercy at some point because it will likely show on background. Goro is likely completely right.

Best of luck

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

This sounds like a reasonable course of action for OP

 

[j4pac]

OP...I'm pretty sure that you career is over (for now). You need to redefine yourself. I mean, who steals stuff as a college junior/senior? Answer...someone who has been shoplifting their entire life. I'm not going to buy that it was a one time deal. It was a mistake...but let's not pretend that it was a one time mistake. Don't even try to feed a med school that BS sandwich...they won't buy it.

You need to do something else for awhile, and then come back to medicine at a later date after proving that you don't have a shoplifting addiction, that you don't have a personality disorder, and that you have integrity.

I don't do this very often, but the military wouldn't be the worst thing in the world (if they let you in).

 

[Brancer]

I don't do this very often, but the military wouldn't be the worst thing in the world (if they let you in).

A shoplifting conviction, in todays military? Maybe during the 2005 surge for an infantry contract, but I think he would be hardpressed to get the waivers today.

 

[DrMikeP]

The thing is, even if you get past the background check for medical school, won't they do another for residency?

Yes they do and hospitals when you apply to be credentialed for medical staff. My hospital also required a full check for students, volunteers, and interns. Psychiatric facilities also are required to do background checks in most states now. Applications also ask about arrests often. So there is no easy out for this situation.

A good local attorney would be able to discuss what would or wouldn't end up in a background check for the particular location and particular occurrence.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[doctorinthehouse_]

You should definitely get in contact with your school. Internet posts like this are not full-proof anonymous and I've seen several people get their identities revealed since I've been a member. I would contact them before they find out another way. Just my two cents... Also, shop-lifting is a huge red X on your integrity. I would recommend some soul searching if you end up losing your spot in a medical program. You stole, and there's no telling if you've stolen prior to getting caught. You need to face this and figure out how to grow and learn. I'm really sorry and I know this must be so painful, but take it as a major life lesson going forward.

 

[IslandStyle808]

The thing is, even if you get past the background check for medical school, won't they do another for residency?

Correct, but the level of stringency is kept as close to the level of residencies as possible. Also, the same person would be an additional 4 years out from when the conviction made. So it would be an even lesser issue than when applying to medical school due to time.

 

[BackForrealz]

Terrible advice. Just terrible. It's far better to have his medical career be over now then to take out loans, possibly relocate for school, and go through all of the hassles and hurdles of starting medical school just to be booted out at any time that this surfaces. By the way, that could be in third or fourth year if a clinical site does a background check. Just terrible advice.

If you actually read it, you would understand what I was actually saying. Look for the small clause at the end. I clearly retracted it with that last portion. I was only following his reasoning pattern.

 

[BackForrealz]

Oh, please. You will have them. Tons of them. I'd be surprised if you have many classmates who *haven't* pirated some lecture vids or textbook pdfs. That is, technically, theft, and on a much greater scale than walking out with an unpaid for grocery item. I'm not claiming that it is totally okay so long as everyone is doing it, btw, just pointing out that very many people do. The fact that they weren't caught doesn't make them better than someone who was.

And stealing food from the grocery store? I did that when I was a kid. I got caught right away, because I'm an idiot and it was a stupid and thoughtless thing to do. Should it wreck my whole life? I'm going to bet that I'm not remotely the only person who ever made that mistake and still turned out to be an over all decent and productive member of society.

OP had really bad timing. If s/he was going to make this error, it should have been made when s/he was still a minor and long before applying for medical school. No question about that. And yes, doctors are held to an extraordinary standard because our errors in judgment carry such potential to do harm. I still have the sense that this is not a case of someone trying to steal for financial benefit. It wasn't jewelry or electronics or money, but rather food. Not knowing OP's full situation, that alone makes me wonder if there aren't some mitigating circumstances.

I think, if it was food, he would have mentioned it;however, this kid clearly seems to be able to finance medical school. Therefore, it is clear he did it with the intent to break the law, cause trouble, and make medical students look bad.

 

[j4pac]

A shoplifting conviction, in todays military? Maybe during the 2005 surge for an infantry contract, but I think he would be hardpressed to get the waivers today.

You're probably right. Just throwing it out there.

 

[mathnerd88]

I think, if it was food, he would have mentioned it;however, this kid clearly seems to be able to finance medical school. Therefore, it is clear he did it with the intent to break the law, cause trouble, and make medical students look bad.

The OP did say it was food. Food is also pretty cheap, so I agree with you. If the OP was too poor to afford food, there are plenty of soup kitchens and government aid that can help.

Trying to obtain food through illegal means is a big problem, regardless of the OP's mitigating or extenuating circumstances.

 

[Promethean]

The OP did say it was food. Food is also pretty cheap, so I agree with you. If the OP was too poor to afford food, there are plenty of soup kitchens and government aid that can help.

Trying to obtain food through illegal means is a big problem, regardless of the OP's mitigating or extenuating circumstances.

For all we know, this could be something as stupid as just walking out with something without paying for it out of thoughtlessness. I've absolutely done that before. I'm very absent minded sometimes. When I notice, I hurry back and pay, but maybe someone else noticed before OP did.

If it was intentional... well, there aren't "plenty of soup kitchens" everywhere, and "government aid" isn't as easy to come by as it used to be. We just don't know what were the circumstances that lead to the action, and I really don't think that OP should explain them here. Save it for the lawyer, maybe the judge, and definitely the adcoms. Sharing too much here just makes the story that much more identifiable.

All I'm saying is that there is a lot of room for interpretation... and so far, there has been an arrest, not a conviction. That means that there is still plenty of room for charges to be dismissed, etc. OP seems like a good kid. S/he seems to have genuine remose and to totally own the bad decision. There is no attempt to wiggle out or explain it away. I think that, more than any other reason, is why I am so hopeful that s/he will find some mercy.

 

[mathnerd88]

For all we know, this could be something as stupid as just walking out with something without paying for it out of thoughtlessness. I've absolutely done that before. I'm very absent minded sometimes. When I notice, I hurry back and pay, but maybe someone else noticed before OP did.

If it was intentional... well, there aren't "plenty of soup kitchens" everywhere, and "government aid" isn't as easy to come by as it used to be. We just don't know what were the circumstances that lead to the action, and I really don't think that OP should explain them here. Save it for the lawyer, maybe the judge, and definitely the adcoms. Sharing too much here just makes the story that much more identifiable.

All I'm saying is that there is a lot of room for interpretation... and so far, there has been an arrest, not a conviction. That means that there is still plenty of room for charges to be dismissed, etc. OP seems like a good kid. S/he seems to have genuine remose and to totally own the bad decision. There is no attempt to wiggle out or explain it away. I think that, more than any other reason, is why I am so hopeful that s/he will find some mercy.

"In New Jersey, what acts are counted as shoplifting?

1. Taking away merchandise with the intention of paying less than the full price to the merchant
2. Hiding merchandise on your body or something you're carrying with the intention of not paying for it
3. Removing, altering, or transferring a price tag with the intention of paying less than the full price to the merchant
4. Transferring merchandise from the container in which it's displayed to another container with the intention of paying less than the full price to the merchant (for example, putting a small item inside a large item and only paying for the larger item)
5. Under-ringing with the intention of paying less than the full price to the merchant
6. Removing a shopping cart with the intention of not returning it

Intention? How do I prove someone "intended" not to pay me?

There is a presumption in the law that if you find unpurchased merchandise hidden on someone or in their belongings, that he or she hid it deliberately and intends not to pay for it."

Almost everyone will try to show remorse once caught when doing something illegal... in any case, I believe people who can and will make bad decisions such as these should not become physicians. This isn't some minor drug possession charge or DUI. Shoplifting is a serious offense. It shows you have no consideration for other people and knowingly tried to steal from them. It shows that the intent is there.

Once, I accidentally walked out of a store and forgot to pay for an item. I immediately went back, told the cashier, and paid for it. I had no intent to steal from the store. In order to be charged the way OP did, the deed had to be intentionally done. If the OP didn't have the intention, then he/she wouldn't have shown some remorse on this forum.

 

[SnowyMoon]

I was told that the shoplifting qualified as a disorderly person's conduct; they are not two separate things. Shoplifting greater than $200 makes it go from disorderly person's conduct to a 4th degree crime. I am not sure if that helps at all anyway.

I stole food from a grocery store, the dumbest mistake of my life. I was not intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. Because no violence or mind-altering substances were involved I am hoping to be eligible for a conditional dismissal program. http://www.njlaws.com/conditionaldismissal.html

Please, advice is greatly appreciated.

From the link provided:
In addition, a person is not eligible for conditional dismissal if the offense for which the person is charged involved:
...;
...;
animal cruelty;
or any disorderly persons offense or petty disorderly persons offense under chapter 35 or 36 of the Criminal Code. [Although first offender drug defendants are eligible for Conditional Discharge]



Unfortunately, reading the actual conditions, you don't qualify. Don't go this route. You aren't moving your way out of this -- you screwed up. I'm sorry, it hurts. I understand it's hard for you to admit it to yourself that this is real, but stuff happens. Maybe you'll be taken pity on. I know plenty of people who have gone to professional schools (granted, not med schools) with worse than <$200 shoplifting charges. I'm sorry if you don't usually do this and it was just this once, but I'm definitely not sorry if you usually do this without getting caught.

Good luck in the near future. You will need it.

 

[samac]

For all we know, this could be something as stupid as just walking out with something without paying for it out of thoughtlessness. I've absolutely done that before. I'm very absent minded sometimes. When I notice, I hurry back and pay, but maybe someone else noticed before OP did.

If it was intentional... well, there aren't "plenty of soup kitchens" everywhere, and "government aid" isn't as easy to come by as it used to be. We just don't know what were the circumstances that lead to the action, and I really don't think that OP should explain them here. Save it for the lawyer, maybe the judge, and definitely the adcoms. Sharing too much here just makes the story that much more identifiable.

All I'm saying is that there is a lot of room for interpretation... and so far, there has been an arrest, not a conviction. That means that there is still plenty of room for charges to be dismissed, etc. OP seems like a good kid. S/he seems to have genuine remose and to totally own the bad decision. There is no attempt to wiggle out or explain it away. I think that, more than any other reason, is why I am so hopeful that s/he will find some mercy.

If he was just walking out with it on accident don't you think he would have conveyed that? It's clear he did it on purpose by his post.

I wish you the best of luck OP and hope things work out.