Vandalism is an "action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property".[1]
The term includes property damage, such as graffiti and defacement directed towards any property without permission of the owner.
Many acts of vandalism are misdemeanors, meaning the maximum penalties include fines and up to a year in the local jail. However, vandalism that results in serious damage to valuable property is a felony. Defendants charged with a felony can face more than a year in state prison and significant fines.