Being arrested for the first time can be an extremely scary experience. You're likely wondering if you'll go to jail if everyone will find out, and if you'll lose your job. Let us at Goldstein & Handwerker help calm your fears and guide you through what happens next.

First, the severity of the crime you're arrested for will largely determine the outcome. In New York and New Jersey, first-time offenders rarely face jail time, even for serious crimes like drug possession or shoplifting.

New Jersey offers a program called pre-trial intervention (PTI) for individuals accused of third or fourth-degree felonies. This program often allows first-time offenders to avoid a criminal conviction. For example, we helped a client who unknowingly became involved in bank fraud. She was terrified of going to jail, but because it was her first offense and she had no prior criminal history, we successfully got her into the PTI program.

If you're not eligible for PTI or similar programs, probation is often a likely outcome, which means no jail time but does result in a criminal conviction.

The most important step you can take is to contact an experienced criminal lawyer immediately. If you've been arrested for the first time and need help, visit our website or call us at (973) 912-0555  for more information and support. We're here to help you through this challenging time.