Well SOCKS… that is not too bad… at first I read it as “Stocks and Paper”
Boy’s socks can be expensive. The “cool” brands can be $20 per pair. OP, if you could give us some more info about what happened that would be helpful. Did he steal from the book store? Was he arrested? Was he charged with violating a particular school policy? What does the school hand book say about the situation?
My guess is that he has been at college for at least two weeks, ran out of clean socks, and thought stealing was easier than facing his laundry. If he is on a tight budget, he may prefer to keep his cash for partying and pizza and ‘liberate’ the paper from the university. Immature kids can be reluctant to spend “their” money on boring products like printer paper which was previously funded by parents or schools.
Here’s a link to the college’s student discipline process - http://studentaffairs.sdsu.edu/srr/ It should answer some of your questions.
You mention in another thread that he will need to appear in court. If so, if it were my kids, I would find a good attorney. This is a huge deal.
Regarding talking with the dean - in my opinion, honesty, humbleness, regret, and a plan to make sure it doesn’t happen again will help the most. Since it is a very large university, I don’t know how much time will be given to hear the student’s side of it so I would make sure anything said was concise and to the point. Tell him to dress appropriately as if this was a professional job interview, stand and sit up straight, look the dean in the eyes throughout the conversation, speak clearly and articulately, and greet the dean with a firm handshake. Don’t sit down unless the dean tells him to, and treat the dean’s staff/administrative assistant kindly. Letters of support from a few adult mentors, teachers, coaches, etc. who really know him and are willing to vouch for him might help.
I’m guessing he did this at the bookstore? I’m in this store a few times each year, and the downstairs area is a very open area that can be easily seen from upstairs and the front of the store. Even the second floor is very open and monitored. With all those cameras, undercover security, plus a large staff, nearly every area of that store is visible and obviously monitored. I can’t walk through the store without staff running up to me every few feet to help. Why he would do this, especially under such obvious security, is probably going to be a big question, too.
Also, in another thread, it was suggested a couple of times for you to talk with a good attorney first asap. I’m not a legal person at all, but that sounds like good advice especially since it was noted in that thread that he would be going to court for this.
I agree with @Fish125. If the police department and DA are involved, the son should get a lawyer.
My guess is that the student lost some socks in the dryer, then saw the same pair in the bookstore and thought those were his lost socks and took them in a case of mistaken identity. Hire an attorney, stick with that story and he should get off with probation.
My guess is that it was a prank and he feels he cant “fess up” for whatever his reasons are.
He needs a lawyer and San Diego has tons of them!
I agree with the lawyer. Unfortunately, this could have a serious impact on his college career. Get a lawyer near the school who is familar with the rules and processes. I am sure your son is not the only one caught doing this type of thing. It is easier to be premtive then to try and overturn an unfavorable ruling. Best of luck trying to help your son resolve this foolish mistake.
PM @Hanna for thoughts from someone that handles these types of situations.
Well, OP isn’t elaborating.
Isn’t there usually some value threshold before this would go to the DA? Wondering how many socks and packs of paper.
This sounds very much like a frat prank. Think about it, boys don’t care about dirty sheets, they care even less about clean socks. And paper… The frat pranks always involve something embarrassing, useless and stupid… I know one boy who got arrested many years ago for stealing a flag down in DC for his fraternity.
There is a lot of good advice above. He needs to be honest with the school, but he is probably under a lot of pressure from the frat. Hope he can stand up for himself.
If it was a frat prank and OPs son is a freshman pledge who was pressured, I’d demand that the “brotherhood” pony up for the lawyer.
Can the frat provide a lawyer?
It’s a serious matter for the kid now.
It is reaching to assume it is frat related. I wouldn’t assume so unless told otherwise.
No. I never assume so.
@lookingforward Excellent question regarding the value threshold.
From the SD police department’s website: “It has serious consequences for both the child and the parent or guardian. If the value of the merchandise taken is less than or equal to $400, the crime is petty theft. The first time it is punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine of at least $50 but not more than $1000, or imprisonment in the…” http://www.sandiego.gov/police/services/prevention/community/parental/shoplifting.shtml
Letters of reference from ‘people who really know him’? They probably didn’t know him so well to think he would steal socks.
Lucky he wasn’t caught with scissors, which would have completed the Sock - Paper - Scissors Trilogy. He could have been charged with carrying a concealed weapon.
OP
@Fish125 is absolutely correct about your approach. Crimes on campus are not taken lightly.
I have to second the bookstore’s surveillance and security. It is a huge store with lots of cameras, security, and employees everywhere. Why risk it?