Assignment task:
Case B. Maria Diaz - Identity Theft
Maria Diaz has been placed under community supervision for identity theft. She pleaded guilty to stealing the identities of 14 different victims from her employer's protected database, opening up accounts in their names, and charging merchandise in small amounts, averaging $500.00 per victim, stealing an estimated grand total of around $7,000. She says that she has had significant financial difficulties and has filed for bankruptcy. She is 25 years old, divorced, and has no known juvenile arrest or adjudication history. As an adult, she has one prior forgery charge for which she was originally placed on probation (it was revoked for technical violations) and assigned to halfway house for nine months, where she successfully completed her supervision. Ms. Diaz has a high school diploma, and she has a transient job history. Her employed time in the last year is estimated to be 50%. She was ordered to pay $7,000in restitution for her current offense, which she has not yet paid. Her divorce was finalized one year ago, and her ex-husband is nine months behind on child-support payments. She is currently living with her boyfriend, who is allegedly an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. She says that he "is unpredictable...I never know if he'll be home at night or if he'll call and want me to bail him out of jail." Due to the unstable situation with her boyfriend, in the past year, she has been moving back and forth between her sister's and her boyfriend's house. She has one 10-year-old dependent child.
Both she and her child are in good medical health. There is no evidence that alcohol or drug use was related to the current offense, and Ms. Diaz has never attended drug treatment. Her motivation to start restitution payments is low and her attitude is bit problematic, but it is hoped that her resistance will change with motivational interviewing and job training. There is no evidence of developmental disability, sexual dysfunction, or emotional problems, and Ms. Diaz does not report being on any medications for mental or physical problems.