Stories - View Story: Randy's story

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“Don’t be a chicken.  It’s just a little fun.”

Randy did the right thing by hesitating and choosing to not get involved.  Deliberately damaging someone else’s property is against the law.    In addition, mailboxes are considered federal property and it is a crime to vandalize them (and to injure, deface, or destroy any mail deposited in them.) (Title 18, United Stated Code, Section 1705).    Violators can be fined up to $250,000 or imprisoned for up to three years for each act of vandalism.

In Arizona, deliberately damaging or defacing the property of another person is called criminal damage and it is a felony.   Deliberately damaging any building, structure, or place used as a school or educational facility is called aggravated criminal damage.  If the damage exceeds the cost of $10,000, it is a class 4 felony.  Damage to another person’s property may sometimes be class 2 misdemeanor (under $250.00) but damage to an educational facility is always a felony.   Painting graffiti is a form of criminal damage and it is against the law.    Some juveniles have been tried as adults for committing criminal damage.  The sentence includes jail time and probation.  Juveniles who damage the property of others can be placed on probation (with or without detention) and can be required to pay for damages.