Can you get jail time for criminal damage?
You can get jail time for criminal damage to property. Although, probation is allowed if the judge decides to order it. The punishment for criminal damage to property varies based on the alleged value of the damage.
- If the damage is less than $1,000, the simple criminal damage to property charge will be a misdemeanor punishable by 0 to 6 months in prison.
- If the damage value is greater than $1,000 but less than $50,000, the charge becomes a felony punishable by zero to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
- If the value of the damage is over $50,000, defendants can face prison sentences of 1 to 10 years and fines of up to $10,000.
In addition, the judge can order the defendant to reimburse the victim for damages. As you can see, this charge gets worse as the value increases. There are many factors that go into a judge’s decision to order a jail sentence versus probation such as the facts, victim’s impact statement, prior acts, prior convictions, and the perceived threat that the defendant could do it again.
