I was caught for credit card fraud-now what?

Question

I live in Massachusetts.

When I was 15 I stole someone's credit card number and tried to buy a dvd online. Needless to say i was caught and now it's on my juvinile record. Credit card fraud! It sounds so bad I can barely say it out loud. It's my only flaw on my recocrd. Nothing else but this. No criminal record. My record is not sealed. I'm 20 and in college for criminal justice. Is all hope lost for getting a job in this field? Will government agencies look at this and not accept me? Should i just quit now? This has been bothering me for so long and I feel so hopeless. Can someone shed light on this? Can someone with the knoledge tell me if this will disqualify me from getting a job as a police officer (for example)?

Working in the criminal justice field is my dream and i want to follow my dream. I know it's credit card fraud but doesn't the fact that it's juvinile make any difference? I was 15 years old! Do I have a chance? With a BS from Northeastern??

Respectfully,
Mike

Answer 1

As long as you stay out of trouble until you are 21, you should be ok. I would talk to the courts and your counselor at school to see what they say. There may be a possibility of getting your record sealed. I hope for your sake that you have taken this learning experience and make it a positive one. Good luck and God bless.

Answer 2

HECK NO WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES?
SOME OF US LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES AND SOME NEVER DO.

THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING DONE AS JUVENILE AT 15? AS THE YEARS GO BY THE RECORD WILL SHOW TIME BEHIND AN EVENT YOU WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH AS A STUPID ACT, AS FAR AS REFLECTING UPON GETTING INTO A CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD?
I WAS NEVER IN TROUBLE BECAUSE THE POLICE COULD NEVER CATCH ME. ( 1959-63.) I WAS RECRUITED BECAUSE THEY KNEW WHAT I WAS STREET WISE.
AN AA DEGREE 1968. WATCHED ME LIKE A HAWK. BA DEGREE I BECAME A SGT, MA DEGREE A LT FOR THE DEPARTMENT.