(The content below was transcribed from an interview done with Acacia Law. We think you’ll find it much easier
and more enjoyable to read this way.)
Interviewer: There is usually many, many deeper psychological issues going on that create that type of behavior. However, what happens is that they have a certain pre-disposition to engage in the activity because it either makes them happy because they are depressed, or it triggers some sort of chemistry change in the brain which makes them feel a sort of a rush or a high.
Acacia Law: That’s usually associated with doing something risky.I have had clients who are millionaires that have gone into stores simply to take a pack of cigarettes and a pack of gum.
Interviewer: Really?
Acacia Law: They obviously can afford, and when they are apprehended and the police come, they may have $300 or $400 cash in their pocket, they obviously can pay for it.
Interviewer: Hmm, that’s crazy.
Acacia Law: What happens is that they oftentimes become repeat offenders because they simply can’t help themselves. What I’ve been able to do with them, because what happens is that pretty soon they are looking a pretty substantial jail time, with those types of clients I am able to help because I utilize my own team of professionals. These are behavioral doctors essentially.
Interviewer: Yes.
Acacia Law: And who are obviously are authorized to prescribe medication if need be. To help them overcome this illness and it is an illness. Essentially what I’ve found is that, if the person proactively addresses this which is what I basically walk them through and make sure that it’s done and structured and prepared and presented to the court properly.
Interviewer: Right.
Acacia Law: Then the judges will make a special finding on their behalf, and they will not be held to the same standard. It doesn’t mean that, you can’t use it like in the capacity of diminished capacity. But what you can do is show that the person has a mental illness and they are in fact addressing it, and it is being addressed, but it’s only account of the mental illness that they currently have that they are actually engaging in the activity. Judges will take that as a mitigating circumstance. I’ve saved many people from jail that way.
Interviewer: You said there’s three different reasons that people will shoplift. What’s the percentage breakdown? Do you get most people that do it on a lark, or do more people do it because it they are sick. What’s the breakdown?
Acacia Law: I would say that the majority do it as a means of simply obtaining a small benefit for themselves. They may or may not do it regularly. I would say that probably that accounts for about half to two thirds. In all fairness, a lot of times they are people who simply don’t have a lot of money.
Interviewer: Hmm…
Acacia Law: Are short on cash at the moment and try to utilize this as a means of subsidizing whatever they have as resources. About a third do it because it’s either just a spur of the moment ‘Let me just see if I can get away with this.’ or what I call just doing it on a lark. Thinking that it’s more or less a prank, to see if they can get away with it. Then there’s probably about maybe an 8 or 9 percent maybe smaller maybe 7 or 8 percent who fall into the category of ‘I just can’t help myself until I get medical treatment. I just can’t help myself’ that’s how it usually breaks down.
