Me and my friend, both 15, were caught shoplifting in Ontario, Canada. We had almost $200 of merchandise from that store on us when the security followed us out of the store and stopped us. They brought us in and took our information, and searched our bags, and found the other stuff we got from 2 other stores, as well as the empty shopping bags we brought to help us shoplift.

They notified the police and our parents. We're also banned from the mall for a year.

We were charged with theft under $5000 and 2 counts of possession of property obtained by crime. I was given a court date and a day for them to take my fingerprints and photographs.
This is my first offence and I read that I can get something called a diversion? I'm planning on calling Legal Aid tomorrow for a duty counsel lawyer because I read that they can assist with getting a diversion. But I also read that I could already be eligible for it. When and how do I find out? If I'm not given one then what would my consequences typically be?

Also, am I suppose to plead guilty during court since they caught me on camera anyway or would that make things worse?

I don't know if the diversion programme will help you, or if the judge will even consider it, seeing as you displayed complete criminal intent by theft from not one but two stores, plus you were well equipped to steal more, by your own admission here.

These are the requirements of a diversion programme:

Education aimed at preventing future offenses by the offender
Restitution to victims of the offense
Completion of community service hours
Avoiding situations for a specified period in the future that may lead to committing another such offense (such as contact with certain people)

Everything you did was premeditated; not just on a whim, or a lark. As far as legal aide goes, you re underage at l5 and in order to intiate legal aid in Ontario you will have to get your parents involved and if they are above a certain income, then legal aid won't be involved, it will have to a lawyer.

As for pleading guilty, you were caught red handed, so that plea will have to be up to whoever you wire to defend you.

Tick

Contact an attorney. They can negotiate with the DA and depending on the circumstances, they will advise you how to plead. And stop shop lilfting! Doing that drives the prices up for everyone since the store have to pay extra for security. And... you are giving your parents gray hair. Trust me, you don't want to be 15 and in prison. Honestly... you don't want to be in prison at any age. But you really don't want to be a young pup in a cage of big dogs.

And stop shop lilfting! Doing that drives the prices up for everyone since the store have to pay extra for security.Hello again, Raven:

If you wanted to find people to beat up on, the criminal law board is for you... But, that's NOT why we're here. Don't do that.

excon