Guide to Contraband

Summary

tl;dr

1. Is the person allowed to have it as part of their job? If yes, it's not contraband.
2. Do they have a permit to have it anyway? If yes, it's not contraband.
3. Is it not on this list of contraband items on the Wiki? If it's not on the list, it's not contraband.
4. Is it dangerous in any way to the user or anyone else? If yes, it's at least minor contraband.
5. Is it intended to cause bodily harm to somebody other than the user, or designed with the intention of breaking into places (such as an emag)? If yes, it's major contraband.
6. Is it a High Risk Item listed on the wiki? If yes, it's major contraband and also grand theft.

See the Identifying Antagonists page for more items, but this'll be moved over here.

Generally not contraband

The following items are generally not considered contraband for anyone. If they are used in a crime, however, they may become contraband. Generally contraband charges wouldn't apply to the first offence, but if the items are confiscated for another crime, contraband charges may apply if they are found with another one.

Items	Notes
Shrink rays	Not contraband for anyone. If used to alter someone against their will, then this is considered assault.
Basic tools	Not contraband. Again, may be confiscated if used in the commission of a crime.
Job gear	Items used as part as somebody's job, kept within the bounds of that department, are not contraband.

If an item is potentially harmful, that does not necessarily make it contraband as long as its harmful nature is not the intended use of the item.

Potentially contraband

These items are not always contraband for the crew to possess, but may be considered so under certain circumstances. Generally speaking, if they're kept in their appropriate department they're not contraband. If they're being paraded around in the bar for no good reason by someone whose job doesn't require them to have it, they probably are.

Item	Notes
Restricted job gear	Items such as mining gear, hardsuits and so on that are in limited supply and/or potentially dangerous. These items are not contraband when being used for their intended purpose, but are generally not permitted outside their departments when not in use. A miner that doesn't bother removing their rigsuit while making a delivery to science is probably okay as long as they take the helmet off while indoors, a miner sitting in the bar in full suit with a sonic jackhammer on his belt can be told to go stow his gear if he's not using it.
Combat mechs	As long as they stay in the science department (or outside the station), not contraband. Otherwise, see above. When making mechs for security, generally a security officer should take delivery of the mech from robotics, rather than the scientist driving it up to security.
Unidentified Grenades	Grenades that a crewmember has no reason to be carrying around are most likely contraband, and if discovered during a search should be identified in chemistry. Cleaning grenades are obviously not contraband, nor are metal foam grenades for engineers. Explosives, toxic smoke, EMPs and other weapons are clearly contraband. Pranks like water bombs are probably disturbing the peace. Generally even legitimate grenades should be kept out of sight so as not to cause alarm to other crew.

Usually contraband

These items are almost always considered contraband, though exceptions do apply - a non-lethal weapon is obviously not contraband for security officers, for example, as it falls under "job gear". Standard Operating Procedure covers most such exceptions.

Item	Notes
Weapons	Any item that has the sole purpose of causing injury to another is major contraband. The chef's kitchen knife is not contraband, an assistant's butterfly knife is. Lethal ammunition also falls under this.
Non-lethal weapons	Weapons that are explicitly not capable of causing permanent injury, such as tasers, stun revolvers and hunter guns are minor contraband. Weapons that are capable of being loaded with lethal ammunition are not non-lethal.
Combat Gear	Even if not weaponry, equipment intended specifically for use in armed combat is contraband for people with no business getting involved in fights. This includes armour. While someone strapping metal plates to their body for no good reason probably falls under "suspicious conduct" more than "contraband", an actual armour vest such as those issued to security in code green would be considered minor contraband for anyone else, and a heavy armour suit or breacher rig would be considered major. Note that some jobs are issued armour vests as standard, such as the librarian's press vest.
Teleporters	Teleporters and translocators are generally major contraband due to their ability to bypass access restrictions. A few personnel, notably the Research Director and Colony Director, are issued with teleportation devices. The RD's bluespace harpoon is fine for them to have unless they use it to commit a crime. The CD has access everywhere so it's literally impossible for them to trespass with it.
Stolen goods	Even if someone didn't commit the theft themselves, stolen goods are still considered contraband to handle.

Mitigating factors

Some items are not considered contraband under certain circumstances. Such exceptions include the following.

Situation	Description	Effect
Possession of a permit	The crewmember has a permit for the item.	Obviously it's not contraband if they have a valid permit.
Surrender of goods	The crewmember is handing contraband goods in to a member of security.	Generally only applies if they've not actually used them, but if someone finds a bottle of happy pills in the trash and hands them over to an officer or something similar, they shouldn't be charged with contraband.
Dire need	The goods are needed for use in an emergency, such as a crewmember taking the spare ID to rescue someone from a breach.	Charges can be dropped, though the goods should be returned once the emergency is over.
Authorised by owner	The crewmember is allowed to use the item by someone authorised to have it.	For example, if the chief engineer gives someone the station blueprints so they can build a fort, then those blueprints are not contraband. Does not apply to restricted gear such as a miner's drill or explorer's phaser - if the miner can't carry it in the bar, they can't authorise anyone else to. Likewise, weapons still require an actual permit.

Guide Table
Starter	VORE-Specific	Medical	Engineering	Science	Security	Other	Development
The Basics The Basic Basics General Help The Rules Key Differences Keyboard Shortcuts Character Creation Traits Job Selection and Assignment Terminology A Crash Course In Roleplaying Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions (Issues)	Guide to Vore Vore Panel Scene Roleplay Brain computers and you Special Items Guide to Dumpster Diving Size Interactions Custom Species Maintenance Preds	Guide to Medicine Guide to Chemistry Guide to Surgery Guide to Cadavers	Guide to Power Guide to the Supermatter Engine Guide to the Tesla Engine Guide to the R-UST Guide to Construction Guide to Machine Construction Guide to Atmospherics Guide to Hacking Guide to Telecommunications Guide to the Solars SMES Manual Lighting	Guide to Research and Development Guide to Robotics Guide to Xenobiology Guide to Toxins Guide to Xenobotany Guide to Xenoarchaeology Introduction to the particle smasher	Corporate Regulations Standard Operating Procedure Guide to Security What Not to do	Guide to AI Species Critters (NPCs) Guide to EVA Hardsuit Operation Voidsuits Guide to Races Guide to Food and Drink Guide to Hydroponics Guide to Paperwork Guide to Mining Languages List of Supply Crates	Guide to Contributing to the Wiki Reporting Issues