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inZOI Crime and Trials Explained: Theft, Scams, Arrest, and Court

inZOI Crime and Trials Explained

Since the v0.5.0 update on December 23, 2025, Zois can commit crimes — and face a legal process when caught. This is a genuinely new system, not an extension of the old Karma mechanic, which was removed two months earlier.

Still early

The team describes crime as being in the early stages of development, with more content planned. The Crime skill currently caps at Level 5, and trials for traffic accidents aren't implemented — those Zois still go straight to jail.

Who can commit crimes​

Only Young Adult and older Zois can commit crimes at all. Beyond that, the first crime interaction unlocks at Crime Skill Lv.0 for a Zoi meeting any one of these conditions:

  • Owns 2,000 Mew or less, or is struggling under excessive debt.
  • Is under significant psychological stress from lack of family support or ongoing family conflict.
  • Has the Rulebreaker trait or the Malicious characteristic.

In other words, crime is framed as something desperation or personality pushes a Zoi into, rather than a career you simply select.

Thieves​

Break into properties and steal what's inside.

  • Interactions: "Pick Door Lock", "Break Down Door", "Open Safe", "Sabotage Surveillance Camera".
  • Success depends on: Handiwork, Programming, and Fitness.
  • Obstacles: Some properties have surveillance cameras and alarms installed.

Scammers​

Defraud other Zois rather than robbing them.

  • Interactions: "Attempt Voice Phishing", "Scam In-Game Items", "Impersonate Charity Worker", "Hold Fake Seminar".
  • Success depends on: Rhetoric and Critical Thinking.

The Suspicious Job Agency​

A new location where Zois can take on shady jobs and gather intelligence. Use the Agency's Bulletin Board to purchase crime information — useful for planning a job rather than improvising.

Getting caught​

  • Witnesses report crimes to the police. Responding officers may issue an immediate fine, or take the Zoi into custody.
  • Crime score rises with every crime interaction performed.
  • Wanted status — a thief who escapes the scene may be wanted for up to one day, and will be arrested on sight if they run into police during that window.

Arrests were far too frequent for petty offences at launch; v0.5.4 substantially reduced how often minor crime interactions trigger an arrest.

Arrest and bail​

  • Low crime score → a fine.
  • Crime score above the threshold → immediate arrest.
  • Bail buys time to prepare for trial. Post it and your Zoi is released; don't, and they wait in a detention centre until the trial date.

Lawyers​

Select your Zoi to appoint a lawyer.

  • Free lawyers provide limited assistance.
  • Elite lawyers meaningfully improve your chances of a reduced sentence or acquittal.

Appointing a lawyer assigns a trial preparation mission. How that mission goes directly determines which opportunity cards appear during the trial itself, so it's the main lever you have before court.

The trial​

New court properties have been added, and a Zoi scheduled for trial must visit one on their designated date.

  • The trial proceeds automatically, but choosing correctly on the opportunity cards that appear can reduce your sentence.
  • Guilty is the usual verdict. Not-guilty verdicts are hard to secure and require special preparation — and a failed acquittal attempt can result in a harsher sentence than simply accepting guilt.
  • Outcomes are acquittal, a fine, or police custody.

Bank hacking and ATM hacking​

The older, pre-v0.5.0 financial crimes still exist and work differently — see Can you rob a bank? for hacking a bank via computer (Programming Level 10) and ATM hacking.

Update history​

  • March 28, 2025 — Early Access shipped with hacking-based financial crime and criminal careers, tied to the Karma system. Jail existed; there was no crime skill or legal process.
  • October 30, 2025 — v0.4.0 removed Karma scores, added conversations with prison lifer NPCs, displayed remaining prison sentences, and introduced a burglar break-in event where NPCs broke into your home.
  • December 23, 2025 — v0.5.0 added the full crime system: the Crime skill, thief and scammer interactions, the Suspicious Job Agency, crime scores, wanted status, arrest, bail, lawyers, trials, and court properties.
  • December 24, 2025 — v0.5.1 fixed trials stalling when Opportunity Cards failed to appear, police NPCs following you after arrest, and imprisoned Zois being unreleasable.
  • January 15, 2026 — v0.5.4 reduced arrest frequency for minor crimes and fixed trials blocked by simultaneous events.
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