Yes. A shoplifting conviction in Virginia is a larceny conviction, and convictions in Virginia are permanent. They cannot be expunged, and they appear on the criminal background checks used by employers, graduate schools, landlords, professional licensing boards, and the federal government. Because larceny is a crime of dishonesty, many employers treat it more seriously than other misdemeanors, and it can be raised to challenge your credibility if you ever testify in court.
What about a charge that did not end in a conviction? Even a dismissed charge remains publicly visible unless and until it is expunged, and eligibility for expungement depends on how the dismissal happened. A charge dismissed outright or dropped by the prosecutor can usually be expunged. A charge dismissed through the standard first offender program, after a finding that the evidence was sufficient, generally cannot be. The difference between those two outcomes is decided in the courtroom, long before you ever fill out a job application.
For students, this is a resume question as much as a legal one. Internship background checks, licensure applications in fields like nursing and education, bar applications for future law students, and visa applications for international students all ask about criminal history in different ways, and the honest answer depends on exactly how your case ended.
The time to protect your record is before the case resolves. Call Joel at 540-961-5297 for a free consultation, and read more about shoplifting charges in Blacksburg.