When I was 18 a senior in Highschool I was not very mentally stable from some SAs that happened and I got into some trouble with the law from stealing from macys with a friend. It was my first time getting in trouble and it was my friends second time. I thought i was being a good friend by taking the whole trouble when we got caught. She was 17 and I was not very bright then as I stated I was not in a good headspace. Anyways, I live in VA and here anything over $200 is grandpa went and both of the stuff we both stole together amounted to $1,200, my friend also had a pair of baby scissors in a purse and those were considered possession of burglarious tools, both felonies. I went through a long process of legal hearings and finally took a plea bargain deal to lessen the charges to 2 misdemeanors … petit larceny and breaking entering intention to damage property and I was on 4 years of probation on color code (random drug testing), went to jail for a week and 400 hours of community service. Well I am coming on this platform because this was 10 years ago, i have changed tremendously, i am actively in therapy, haven’t ever stolen again and trying to better my life. I am having this dilemma though that these charges were convicted and non expunged able. Also, the charges sound worse than what it was, to an outsider it sounds as if I broke and entered into a home to steal and damage things, i have been explaining myself and the truth but still it comes off as i am lying or that I’m violent from what it says on file. I need help on how to explain myself clearly and how to get my foot in in the tech world and live with these charges