Crime

Overview

The crime system was introduced in inZOI's v0.5.0 update (December 2025) and lets Zois aged Young Adult and older pursue criminal activities including theft, scams, extortion, and organized crime. Criminal actions build a dedicated Crime Skill (capped at Level 5) and a Crime Score that determines police attention. Getting caught leads to fines, arrest, and potentially prison. The system ties directly into the Karma mechanic: committing crimes lowers Karma, which in turn unlocks progressively more severe criminal interactions.

Prerequisites

Crime interactions are not available to every Zoi from the start. A level-zero crime interaction (the entry point into criminal gameplay) unlocks when a Zoi meets at least one of these conditions:

• Economic hardship: The Zoi's assets are 2,000 Meow or less, or the Zoi is struggling with heavy debt

• Personality: The Zoi has the Rulebreaker trait or the Malicious characteristic

• Social isolation: The Zoi is experiencing significant emotional strain from a lack of support or conflict within close relationships

Once any of these conditions is met, basic theft and scam options appear in the interaction menu. Further criminal interactions unlock as the Crime Skill increases.

Starter Crimes

Before tackling high-risk jobs, new criminals can build their Crime Skill through low-stakes activities available at Crime Skill Level 0:

• Snack theft: Steal snacks from grocery store shelves

• Food stall theft: Steal money from food stall tip jars

• Vending machine coin swipe: Swipe coins from vending machines (also raises Handiwork)

• Bag theft: Steal bags left unattended on the ground

• ATM vandalism: Damage an ATM by "taking out anger" on it

These petty crimes carry minimal risk but give enough Crime Skill experience to unlock more advanced interactions.

Theft Interactions

Theft actions target physical property and security systems. Success depends on physical and technical skills.

Scam Interactions

Scams use social manipulation to deceive other Zois. Success depends on communication and analytical skills.

Hacking

Zois with sufficient Programming skill and Bad or worse Karma can hack financial infrastructure for direct cash:

ATM hacking is particularly dangerous because failed attempts can cause electrocution, which is one of the death types in inZOI. The risk generally outweighs the modest payout.

Extortion

At Bad Karma level, Zois unlock the Extort interaction. This lets them demand money from other Zois, including police officers. Extortion carries heavy relationship penalties and can trigger immediate arrest if the target resists or witnesses report the crime.

Suspicious Job Agency

The Suspicious Job Agency is a bulletin board system that provides structured criminal opportunities. Through it, Zois can access:

• Criminal job listings with specific targets and reward payouts

• Intelligence that can be purchased to plan heists and robberies

• Higher-risk, higher-reward jobs that scale with Crime Skill level

The agency serves as the primary progression path for criminal gameplay, offering clear objectives rather than freeform opportunistic crime.

Crime Skill

Crime actions build a dedicated Crime Skill that progresses through levels up to Level 5 in the current version. Higher Crime Skill improves success rates for theft and scam interactions, and unlocks new criminal interactions at each tier. The skill levels up through repeated criminal activity: every successful theft, scam, or agency job awards experience. Swipe-coin actions on vending machines are notable because they raise both Crime Skill and Handiwork simultaneously.

Crime Score and Consequences

How Crime Score Works

• Every criminal act adds to your Zoi's Crime Score

• A low Crime Score results in a fine if the Zoi is caught

• A high Crime Score triggers automatic arrest by police

• Wanted Status lasts one in-game day after fleeing a crime scene

• Police can apprehend your Zoi during any encounter while Wanted

Crime and Karma

Criminal activity lowers your Zoi's Karma. Low Karma causes other Zois to avoid your character and spread rumors. Severely low Karma can damage relationships, harm career prospects, and affect the Zoi's afterlife destination. If a Zoi dies with extremely low Karma, their ghost may end up in an unfavorable afterlife. However, low Karma also unlocks additional criminal interactions like extortion and ATM hacking, creating a trade-off between social standing and criminal capability.

Arrest and Bail

When a Zoi's Crime Score crosses the arrest threshold, police will detain them on sight. The arrest process works as follows:

1. The Zoi is taken into police custody and changed into an orange jumpsuit.

2. A trial date is scheduled automatically.

3. The Zoi can post bail to be released temporarily and prepare for the trial.

4. Zois who do not post bail remain in a detention center until the trial begins.

Posting bail is strongly recommended because it gives the Zoi time to complete trial preparation missions, which directly influence the outcome of the court case.

Trial System

The trial system determines the final penalty. After posting bail, the Zoi receives a trial preparation mission. During preparation, the player answers questions and selects opportunity cards. Performing well in the preparation phase improves the cards available during the actual trial.

Lawyers

Trial Outcomes

During the trial itself, opportunity cards appear and the player must choose answers. The quality of preparation and the lawyer's skill influence which cards appear and how effective each choice is. Possible outcomes include:

• Acquittal: The Zoi is found not guilty and released (rare without an elite lawyer)

• Fine: The Zoi pays a monetary penalty and is released

• Imprisonment: The Zoi is sent to jail

Guilty verdicts are the most common outcome. Not-guilty verdicts require thorough preparation and, in most cases, an elite lawyer.

Prison

Imprisoned Zois are held in a small cell at the police station. Unlike older versions where jail was a rabbit hole, the current system lets players control their Zoi inside the cell. The cell contains:

• A bed for sleeping

• A toilet and sink

• Vending machines to prevent starvation

• A mirror

Activities are severely limited. Zois sacrifice most of their daily luxuries and routines while incarcerated.

Release

Zois are released automatically at 9:00 AM the next day. Players can also manually select "Get out of Jail" on their Zoi once the minimum custody period has passed. Upon release, the Zoi changes back into normal clothing.

Escape

Jail escape is possible through a wall-scratch method. Look for a vulnerable spot on the cell wall, usually between the bed and sink or between the table and bed. Repeatedly interact with the crack to scratch at it. After many attempts (requiring considerable patience), the crack opens into a hole large enough to crawl through. Once outside, change clothing immediately to avoid re-arrest. Note that the crack does not visibly grow larger during the process; it simply becomes a full hole after enough scratching.

Criminal Careers

Two formal criminal career paths are available for Zois who want crime as a full-time profession:

Both criminal careers offer the highest salaries in the game at Boss rank (2,169 Meow per pay cycle), surpassing all legal professions.

Security Systems

Properties may have security features that increase the difficulty of theft:

• Surveillance cameras: Detect criminal activity; can be sabotaged with Programming skill

• Alarms: Alert police when tripped

• Locked safes: Require both Handiwork and Programming to crack

• Locked doors: Varying difficulty levels; can be picked or broken down

Always sabotage cameras before attempting theft. Tripping an alarm or being recorded on camera dramatically increases Crime Score and the chance of immediate arrest.

Tips

• Build Handiwork, Programming, Fitness, and Rhetoric before attempting crimes for higher success rates

• Sabotage cameras before attempting theft to reduce detection risk

• Crime Skill is capped at Level 5 in the current version

• If arrested, post bail immediately so you can prepare for trial and hire an elite lawyer

• Criminal careers offer the highest salaries in the game (2,169 Meow at Boss rank)

• The Suspicious Job Agency provides structured opportunities with clear rewards, making it safer than freeform crime

• Start with low-risk crimes (snack theft, vending machines) to build Crime Skill before tackling high-value targets

• Avoid ATM hacking unless necessary; the electrocution risk is not worth the 250 Meow payout