Q: I stole a pack of condoms
I stole a pack of condoms when I was 21 I was young dumb and just came from a party. Is there anything I can do to fight this I’m 24 now and will be homeless soon because NO1 will hire me !!!! I should’ve just had to do 5 years in prison, what do they expect people like me to do just pan handle or something ?? Also I’m a former foster child and have no one to go to it’s why I need to work.
A:
There is little that can be done now. You may be eligible to expunge this conviction off your public record after five years, but you are not there yet, and if five years had gone by, you would still need to meet other eligibility requirements.
I know this all seems minor, but once something is on your criminal history, it doesn't just go away. And while 3 years may seem like a long time in your past, to an employer, it may not seem so long ago. When you are 40, you may be able to explain this away as being young and dumb at 21; when you are 24, people are unlikely to grant you that grace about acts you did at 21. You will need to look at yourself and your qualifications to determine if this charge is really what's preventing you from finding a job. Your best bet may be to look into different employers or professions. If your charge is for retail fraud, I would suspect that may retail stores will likely not hire you; however, you may be able to find a job outside of retail.
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