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    Greenwich Criminal Mischief Penalties

    It is a common misconception that criminal mischief charges are not serious, and people often think they do not need an attorney. Especially with the higher degrees of criminal mischief, however, it is a serious offense. In fact, criminal mischief in the first degree is a felony charge.

    These situations can escalate, so it is important to get an attorney involved from the beginning. The best attorneys understand how severe Greenwich criminal mischief penalties can be, and they could work towards a positive resolution to your case. Call today to schedule a consultation.

    Common Consequences of Conviction

    The first consequence of being convicted of criminal mischief is that if someone pleads or is found guilty in any degree they would have a permanent criminal record. This can have a serious impact on someone’s social status, security clearance, or job prospects. This is why someone facing Greenwich criminal mischief penalties should reach out to an experienced defense attorney.

    Social Status

    A criminal mischief charge or conviction could affect a person’s social status because the people in the community could find out about their criminal record. Any conviction in the state of Connecticut is public information, and anyone could go onto Connecticut’s judicial website and see the conviction. They can also see the charge and arrest while the case is pending. There is a certain social stigma that comes with having a criminal record, especially in a town like Greenwich where the community is involved and news tends to spread fast.

    Security Clearance

    This criminal charge could affect a person’s security clearance. Most times, any criminal charge or conviction would negatively affect someone’s security clearance. It could prevent them from having a clearance for a certain length of time while the case is pending. This is fact specific, depending on what clearance they had and what their job entailed.

    Job Prospects

    Being charged with criminal mischief in Greenwich could affect an individual’s job prospects because even the fact that the arrest happened could potentially show up on a professional background check. This could limit someone’s ability to get a new job or get a promotion. If they work at a place that does regular background checks, it could jeopardize their current employment, as well.

    Removing a Charge From a Criminal Record

    If somebody is able to work with their lawyer and eventually get the charge dismissed, it would be possible to have the arrest erased from their record. If someone pleads or is found guilty and has a conviction for criminal mischief in any degree, the only way to get it erased from their record would be to apply for a pardon down the road and see if authorities would expunge it.

    Legal Penalties for Criminal Mischief in Greenwich

    The legal penalties for criminal mischief include potential incarceration, probation, and fines. If the penalty involves paying a fine and the individual could not pay, they should not accept the disposition that involves a fine. If they are required to pay a fine and they fail to do so, they could face incarceration up to the maximum incarceration on the charge.

    Even if someone does not go to jail as a result of the conviction, they might be placed on a period of probation. This could include regular meetings with the probation officer and mental health, substance abuse, and alcohol treatment if the court finds it appropriate. There are restrictions on being able to travel out of the state in a lot of cases.

    How a Skilled Criminal Mischief Attorney Could Help

    A lawyer could help lessen the implications of a criminal mischief charge. If the lawyer is able to work something out with the state’s attorney or the judge that avoids some of those consequences, then they would not be part of a sentence. The attorney might be able to work out the best case scenario, which is a disposition that ends with the person getting their charges dismissed. If the guilty plea is part of the resolution, the attorney might be able to work out something where the person has a conditional discharge or only a fine and not a period of probation or incarceration.

    If you are facing charges for vandalism, it is important to understand that Greenwich criminal mischief penalties can have a serious effect on your life. The best way to keep your criminal record clean is to enlist a skilled attorney to fight for you. A lawyer could stand by your side and serve as your advocate during every step of the process.