No, your stuck with the record for life. I am in the same boat. In 1996 I got a petit larceny conviction and its still there today. I am usually honest about it and so far no one has told me they rejected me for a job due to my record. Why can't it be expunged off your record? Actually you can get it off your record. If and only IF this is your first criminal act. You can go into a program called "Pre-trial diversion". This program allows you to escape jail time, but pay fines/fees, which is worth it in the end, because it gets cleared off your record. And from the day you were convicted, you are under probation for 1 year, and you are to see a probation officer each month (kind of like your babysitter). There are fees in visiting the probation officer. Court fees are also assessed by the judge depending how serious it was. I know this because I am under this program right now, and had to pay $444.50 for court costs, and $35.00 a month for visiting my probation officer monthly, including a $75 fee the first month for the drug testing and paper work.
YES
forever your record don't go away
It stays on your record for the rest of your life.
Only if the offense occurred prior to your 18th birthday, otherwise ALL criminal acts remain on your record forever. If you qualify, you may wish to look into having the record expunged in your state.
If it's misdemeanor theft, you might be able to receive a waiver. If it's felony theft, then the answer is almost certainly going to be no.
Persons having a misdemeanor record are not prohibited from purchasing firearms.
If it occurred after you turned adult, it will remain a permanent part of your criminal history record.
I was charged with felony theft and plead to misdemeanor theft, which was a class a crime. I had no previous record and was offered 1 year level 2 probation (1 visit per month), 40 hours CS, and $100 fine.
If it occurred prior to your 18th birthday it will be sealed to the general public. However, law enforcement, the courts, and government agencies will be able to access it if they wanted to look it up.
Every criminal conviction stays on your record until it is removed. Most crimes, except the most serious felonies, can be removed by having them expunged.
If the person is an adult a misdemeanor conviction can be a permanent part of his or her criminal record. In most US states it is usually possible to have a low class misdemeanor conviction removed from a record for employment issues.
In many states the difference between felony and misdemeanor theft is whether the theft was above or under $500.