[poll] Have you ever been in trouble with the law?

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I have come close to being arrested several times. Probably the closest call was when I went to the grocery store where I worked in the middle of the night to get some stuff out of my locker. The people there didn't know that I worked there and thought I was stealing the stuff, so they called the police. Fortunately, the police officer who came to arrest me recognized me from a previous time and let me go without doing anything.

I've also gotten away with several things that anyone else would have gotten into a lot of trouble for. One was injuring one of my teachers in 8th grade after we had been arguing and I completely lost control. Another was when I held a cigarette lighter up to a magazine rack as if I was going to set fire to it. It got me fired from my first job, but I didn't get arrested. The other incident I can think of is when I made an inadvertent death threat by telling another kid he was on my hit list. I just meant it as a joke, but the police officer who worked at my high school was called in to talk to me, at which point my teaching assistant said I was autistic and probably didn't know what I was doing.

Yes, but things were not all roses in the 70's. There was no internet or WrongPlanet back then. Heck, I never even knew I was an aspie until 2005. It was pretty bad being an aspie and not knowing there were other people like me.

A simple 4 function pocket calculator cost about 200 1973 dollars. That's about 1,000 of today's dollars. You could buy about a gallon of gas for one hour of minimum wage. Now you can buy 2 gallons. In 1978 you could buy a TRS-80 computer at radio shack for $600 (about the same price as two months rent). It came with a whopping 4K of RAM and a cassette recorder because there was no drive interface. A typical low end cell phone today is about 500 times more powerful. Of course, there were no cell phones, no DVD's, no CD's and no VCRs in the 70's. The most advanced video game consisted of a white square that bounced back and fourth on the screen. Cameras had film that had to be sent off to be developed for a hefty fee. Cable TV had about 12 channels. There was no satellite. A big screen TV was about 25 inches. Sunscreen hadn't been invented yet so a day at the beach meant a nasty sunburn for many.

So the 70's had some advantages regarding the law, but a lot of disadvantages as well.

I had epic meltdowns at school but this was before Colombine before paper clips and pillows were veiwed as weapons. I had a lady threaten to call the police on me when I tried to "steal" a snake her kids kept talking about killing.

I put "close call" but I'd rather not say.

I can't recall getting in any trouble with the law, serious or otherwise.

I've never been in trouble with the law, although I have committed a few minor crimes.

Yes:

Assault, and federal police in federal court for a very serious charge that I will not mention here and it had nothing to do with hurting anybody. Let me just clear that up. I did 2 years probation.

I have had many nasty times with Mr Plod. I am just starting to get over my fear of them.

Mics

I had bullies torment me right infront of the teacher who did nothing some even laughed when the bully was doing it. Then the teacher would freak out if I had a meltdown or defended myself. I made it a point to go overboard if someone attacked me such as you punch me once I will try to punch you ten times.

I had a run-in with the law when I was a high school student back then. One time when I was in 10th grade a girl told the deans, school officers, and administrators that I was stalking and sexually harassing her. The authority figures gave me a chance to reform my behavior but I continued to harass her non-stop until I was suspended 10 days from there and was referred to go to an alternative school to spend my 10 days and reflect on what I did. I realized that life is too short trying to woo a girl who's not interested in you when there are other ladies who will love you without any stalking involved. I do admit my disability isn't an excuse for getting into trouble with the law because it was intended.

After that incident I slowly started thinking about why I was in trouble and how could I have handled the situation a little better if I heed their advice.

I broke some people's beer bottles on the street out of frustration (and because I didn't want them in the house anymore) and the police were called on me. I apologized and explained why it happened and they let me off with no charges.

Arrested for growing marijuana in my closet. Someone I was living with had a reaction to prescription medication, when drugs are involved apparently the police can show up sometimes too with the ambulance ppl.

I was just really cooperative, practically put the cuffs on myself. At the time my thought was to spare anyone I was living with from being charged, so I took full responsibility and admitted they were mine and mine alone. A lawyer would say I probably should've said nothing, but, it was important to me to protect the others from getting in trouble for something they weren't even responsible for.

Officer asked why I was growing weed, and I said mainly so I don't have to deal with dealers (which was absolutely true). Spent a few hours in a cell by myself. Smelled bad. Then they let me go, with a summons to appear in court.

Went to court. Arresting officer had apparently put in a good word for me. Pleaded down to possession, and dropped from indictable offence to summary offence. Got a small fine and probation, but no probation officer or anything. Just an agreement to behave myself more or less.

I don't agree with criminalization but I can't say I was treated all that bad, either. Seems to work just to be polite and courteous and helpful. I mean, if you're screwed you're screwed, it's time to go into damage control, not resist.

Might this depend at least partially on where you live and your ethnicity? I've heard some horror stories.

I've never been in trouble with the law. I've been around some people while they were shoplifting, which was so intensely uncomfortable for me I had to leave and walk a few blocks down the street.

I haven't been in trouble with the law, but I completely agree. My mom says that if I ever got in trouble then she would spend all her money on bail and lawyers for me, but I told her no. If I ever get caught in a criminal act, then I have to own up to it and face the consequences.

I plead the 5th.

Hmm. I don't know which one to pick, the 4th or the 5th. I went for the latter anyway. I was hauled off in handcuffs and detained for a short while once in my life. Note that this happened in Eastern Europe, but I don't think that matters. It was a complete misunderstanding, though I didn't do anything to ease my situation, disobeyed, as I knew the cops were completely wrong and it was outrageous.

Not for me. I'm a small woman and look fairly harmless. I have an aspie friend who seems to attract the attention of police, though. He's a big tough guy. The only time I had anything to do with police was to get a "no criminal record" certificate for immigration.