Crimes against Property

Crimes against Property

Crime of Shoplifting

In U.S., crime, commonly known as shoplifting is legally called "retail theft.”It is defined in U.S. Statues as taking merchandise, property, money or negotiable documents edit or delete a label, universal product code or price tag; transfer of goods from one container to another or remove a Shopping Caddy, with the intention of depriving the merchant of the possession, use, benefit or full retail value. The punishment depends on the value of items stolen and the circumstances of the case, although it is not often that first time offenders to jail are substantial.

Someone who shoplifts may face a second degree crime if the stolen goods worth more than $ 3000. Second degree crime is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Shoplifting is a crime of the third degree if property stolen is valued at over $ 300. A third degree felony can bring a prison sentence of five years, although a first offense is not likely to result in a maximum sentence.

Offenses

If the value of the item stolen is less than $ 100, the defendant may face a second degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail. If the value is between $ 100 and $ 300, the charge is first degree misdemeanor, punishable by one year in prison. A second offense of retail theft offense of first degree would be to upgrade the charge to a felony of the third degree.

Court

In each judicial circuit in U.S., many offenders charged with crimes have the opportunity to enter a program called "preventive intervention". County employees or nonprofit organizations perform the service. Defendants who complete the program can avoid prosecution and possible imprisonment, and may not have a conviction on their record. The program includes the payment of taxes as a tax oversight ...