Criminal Law is it a crime

[copacabana111]

Last summer I worked with a non-immigrant visa in the US. I had borrowed 7-8 books from the city's library. When the time to leave the US came, my work-schedule was full and I didn't have time to return the books to the library. My roommate asked me to entrust the books to him, as he promised that he would return them to the library, or will check the books out on his account if he is interested in some of them.
Then I returned to my country and several months after that I received an e-mail from the libabry that the books have been charged on my account. The guy hadn't returned them. I try to contact him (he remained in the US), but he has changed his cell phone number.
This summer I received a notification letter that I have won from the Green card lottery. But this issue with the books bothers me a lot. As long as I know a green card could be rejected due to committed crimes of moral turpitude.
Is the failure to return books to the library considered as a crime and if yes, is it a crime of moral turpitude? As long as I know a larceny is a crime of moral turpitude, but could the non-returning of books be considered as larceny?

 

[seniorjudge]

Q: As long as I know a larceny is a crime of moral turpitude, but could the non-returning of books be considered as larceny?

A: Stealing is stealing. What you steal is generally irrelevant.

 

[mafioso]

If you legally borrowed the books from your account with the library and did not return it, you are fine………..therefore, what happened is not a crime. The value has been charged on your account already. Libraries charge you and collect the value when you borrow and don't return a book(it is a civil matter not criminal at that point). You collected the books legally and could have lost them. That does not constitute a crime in any way. You have been charged the value. So don't worry about it and congratulations on winning the GC lottery. The library will not file a criminal complained about you not returning legally borrowed books. Your immigration background check will not include this incident. If you worked at the library legally without violating your status, you are fine. F-1 students for example are allowed to work on campus. But if you worked illegally, you just have to pray the don't get you. They normally don't check if you worked …………from experience. Just don't declared you worked (if illegally) and hope it does not come up. Many aliens have worked here illegally with their names and still got the GC later. They don't care much about working but your background check.

 

[copacabana111]

Thank you very much for your answer. I was really worried that the library could press criminal chrages against me for not returning the books? It makes sence that it is a civil matter only, just like not paying your credit card outstanding balance. The credit company could sue you, but it has nothing to do with a crime. But in this case could the library have reported me to a collection agency? How do libraries collect their fees for non-returned books anyway?
If I get a GC, as soon as I arrive in the US, I'll send them a check and clear off my debt with them. I hope that it won't be too late because the deadline for returning was Sep 1st 2006!
Thanks for your helpfullness a lot.


P.S: I worked absolutely legally in the US.

 

[mafioso]

If you worked legally in the US and borrowed the books legally, you have nothing to worry about. Even if they send your name to a collection agency, it is still a civil matter which can hurt only your credit score and nothing else. they normally will not sue for seven books! You are fine……..When you come back, just call them and they will be happy to tell you how to pay.