What is the best advice if you were caught with a $98.00 item in your sweatshirt at a department store. It was my first offense and I can't express how stupid I feel, but I can't change what I did.. I need advice.. do I need a lawyer?. what can I expect to come from this?. If I don't have a lawyer can I get this reduced? Is it possible to get your fingerprints and pictures taken out of the police records? I have so many ?s, if there is anything you can add please do so.. thank you mcd1221

You can expect to get a fine, probation and have to pay the store costs for the item and other costs associated with the cost of the theft.

If you don't have an attorney you can expect them to find you guilty fairly easily and not really work any plea. An attorney may get some diversion program that will work out a deal with it will not show up.

NO you can not get the fingerprints or photos out of the system, But that does not mean it shows up any convictions, Billions of people have fingerprints on file with the FBI, anyone getting a gun permit, anyone working with children, anyone ever in the military, and so on.
There are most likely ( this is a guess) more non criminal fingerprints on file than there is criminal

Your sweatshirt folly is going to cost you in terms of money and time. At your arraignment you may ask for an attorney to be appointed to you if you do not have the money to hire one. You will most likely be convicted of shoplifting and will be given a fine and probation time. If you are able to convince the court to let you have a first time offender diversion program, that may work in your favor IF you do everything that you are supposed to do and don't get into any trouble they will close the care with no conviction. It all depends on the judge and your attitude.