As a parent, you never expected to get a phone call saying that your teenager had been arrested. You were shocked when that call came in. You were also surprised when you were told that your teen had been shoplifting, and that was the reason for the arrest.
It can be helpful for parents to understand some of the reasons why this happens. Often, teenagers do not even need the items that they have taken from a store. They may have had the money to buy the item, and you, as a parent, may wonder why they did not just ask you to buy it for them. But there are some interesting psychological reasons why teens commit theft crimes.
Peer pressure
First and foremost, shoplifting is often due to peer pressure. If teens are out in a group, one of them may have dared your child to steal something from the store. Wanting to be accepted by the group, your teenager may have decided to take the risk, giving in to that pressure instead of refusing and risking their social standing.
For the excitement
In other cases, teens will say that they were shoplifting because they were bored. They thought that it was exciting and thrilling. It gave them a rush of adrenaline, and they did not bother to think about the long-term ramifications.
Limited funds
There are also cases where teenagers may shoplift because they do not have any other way to buy the things that they want. Maybe your teenager does not have a job, so they simply do not have enough money. Maybe they have taken something that they knew you would not buy for them, so they felt like shoplifting was their only choice.
Legal defense options
No matter why your child has been accused of theft, a conviction could have a major impact on their future. It is crucial that you understand all of the legal defense options that are available at this time.
