The crime of vandalism can take many forms. Some types of vandalism are carried out with more innocent intentions than others. Many people consider graffiti, for an example, a means of artistic expression. Egging someone's home or vehicle may seem like a juvenile prank.
These are considered forms of vandalism under the law. However, so is slashing someone's tires, breaking the windows of a home or business or defacing or damaging gravestones. Connecticut law has various degrees of criminal mischief and criminal damage laws that deal with damage to and destruction of property, both personal and public.
Some states have various degrees of criminal mischief and criminal damage laws that deal with damage to and destruction of property, both personal and public. In some places, even possessing or selling a minor things like aerosol cans and other "tools" that can be used to commit vandalism is illegal.
Depending on the type of vandalism with which someone is charged, he or she can face fines, jail time and forced to pay restitution to the owner of the property that was vandalized.
While vandalism in and of itself is generally a non-violent crime, it sometimes goes hand-in-hand with violent and other more serious crimes such as burglary. If the vandalism is specifically aimed at property owners' race or religion, such as painting a swastika on a home or synagogue, hate crime charges could be added. Connecticut lawmakers just passed a hate crime bill that covers vandalism aimed at people's religion and other characteristics.
With summer in full swing, many young people are finding themselves with lots of time on their hands get into trouble with vandalism-related crimes. If your child is facing criminal charges, it's essential to take them seriously. You may consider his or her actions an immature prank, but the law and the victims may see things very differently. In some cases, young people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time and didn't in fact do anything wrong. Whatever the case, it's essential to seek experienced legal guidance to help protect your child's future.
Source: FindLaw, "Vandalism," accessed June 08, 2017