[darlingeliza]

Look I'll say this now, when I was around 15 or so I stole from time to time, I knew to look for cameras and NOT to hide things in purses because if ever caught that was a dead give away to check first. But as I got older I realized what an idiot I was being and stopped. When my son was born I realized I was ganna need a damn good job, probably under the government and I'd need a criminal record check so I was doing everything in my power, at least I thought I was, to not put myself in a situation where I could get hooked into doing something stupid /or be blammed for something someone else did.
Unfortunently for me I created a bad shopping habit of when shopping alone with my son in the storller, putting my diaper bag below and just storing items around and in it so as to have room for convienece sake. This is what ruined me as a couple weeks ago I was shopping as usual and had brought an extra bag to hold because I was buying a bunch of little jars of baby food but had as usual stashed some things in the bottum and in the purse as always(though not zipped up) it just so happened on this day my son was getting really frustrated and wanted his bottle when I was going to pay which I know nobody likes to hear a crying baby so I got flustered and totally forgot about everything underneath. Just as I was heading outside to go sit on the bench outfront so I could feed Dominik and make sure I hadn't forgotten to pay for anything this young guard and his rookie stopped me saying I was under arest for stealing. Of course already being flustered and had forgotten I ahd nything at all I immedialtly got angrey / defensive and said hadn't stolen a thing but then when I looked down I saw the bottle of hairspray rite next to my opened bag with bibs coming out the top. Needless to say I felt like a bloody retard. I then apologized said id go pay for everything but he told me to just head back because they were calling the cops. From that point on I did nothing but sit quite and attempt to entrtain my son for 3hours while we waited and when the cop got there he was laughing and joking with the guard who brought me in and called me rude because I was acting like I didn't care what was going on (I don't think I'v ever acted that polite before)... Anyway I had to go in for fingur printing and pictures, even though it's my first time ever offence and a summery one and the stuff only came to like $50, and I had the money for it. I talked to cop from the next town over and he said I shouldn't have been fingur printed at all. Anyway I have court in about 2 weeks and I'm going in to hopefully qualify for legal aid tomarrow otherwise I'm screwed. Any advice on the situation, and anybody know what's ganna happen to me if I'm found guitly and they won't let me into the resorative jutice program?
Please and thank you.
Also I'm only 18.

[joypulv]

What country?
Police and judges don't listen to background. They have these cases all day long, and they need to concentrate on what can be proven, and your story is extremely weak anyway (worse than saying nothing). 18 means you are an adult. Some of what happens depends on what the store wants, and since they pressed charges, you can be fingerprinted and photographed, even though they usually don't. Many stores go for very big fines (several hundred dollars) instead. Perhaps your anger when first stopped was what prompted this, or this store does this with everyone.