Ok.  Maybe he checked out a bunch of books.  Maybe they were worth a lot of money.  Maybe he didn’t pay his fines.  And maybe he also ignored calls and requests from the library.  He was charged with theft and he pleaded guilty to the charges.  On top of paying the restitution to the library, he was charged a fine of $625 and sentenced to 10 days in jail.

Quick question.  If this guy doesn’t have the money to pay the library, does he have the money to pay the fine?  And how does jail time help him pay his fine?

If I were him, I would not have pleaded guilty — not to theft.  To me, failure to return an item is not the same as theft.  Now that he has a criminal record on it that says “theft,” people (including employers) will assume that he stealthily swiped something that didn’t belong to him.  Losing some library books isn’t quite the same thing.

Do you ever wonder why the jails are overcrowded?  It’s not because we have more criminals.  It’s because people are going to jail for more things than ever.

When the authorities come after you for your illegal bunny suit, bird rescue, incandescent light bulbs, yard sale, etc., make sure you read this article before they take you in.  Now you will be sure to get a good picture taken at the police station.  Remember, it could be you next!