Misdemeanor Community Service

Author: Kevin Jones

Author: Kevin Jones

A misdemeanor is essentially a crime that you face government sanctions for that is more serious than an administrative crime but less serious than a felony. For example: A parking ticket or traffic ticket carries a government penalty, but is an administrative or regulatory crime. A DUI, on the other hand, may be a misdemeanor depending on the circumstances. A DUI that leads to someone's death would generally be a felony, again depending on the jurisdiction and circumstances surrounding the incident. Common misdemeanors include: Petty theft Disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace Public intoxication Trespassing or vandalism Assault DUI or DWI or drug possession. Most of these are less serious versions of felonies; for example, stealing items worth under a certain dollar value is a misdemeanor while stealing items worth more is a felony. Many misdemeanors carry a monetary fine and/or a community service penalty. Others have a jail term of less than 12 months. In some jurisdictions, certain crimes are classified as aggravated misdemeanors and carry the same types of penalties as felonies with less serious implications for permanent criminal record. According to police, the man was placed in the back of the police vehicle while he was transported to the county jail. Once the police vehicle reached the jail, the man pulled his legs between his hand-cuffed wrists to get his arms in front of him. The man then broke the police vehicles window and climbed through. Police quickly stopped the man before he got too far. He was then charged with felony for trying to escape police custody. The new felony charge for attempting to escape carries a 20 year maximum sentence. If are charged with petty theft and have no prior criminal history, you would get a minor penalty. Usually this is a fine, restitution, probation or jail time for a short period of time. If you are lucky, the judge may dismiss the case if the person aggrieved by the theft appears in court and claims that he has been compensated for the loss. It is quite possible to get alternatives to jail time and these include fine, community service or restitution. However, these alternatives are dependent on the situation. Getting your criminal record expunged is extremely beneficial and worth your time. Remember, background checks are part and parcel for college applications, employment, getting a credit card, applying for insurance and even renting a home. The moment it comes out that you have a criminal record, you could lose everything in life. Therefore, instead of letting a misdemeanor stay on your record forever, you can take steps to ensure that something you did in your past, in a moment of madness, does not come back to haunt in the present and ruin your future. About the Author:

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