In the 50’s to say that a child or teenager was mischievous usually did not mean their actions would rise to the criminal level. Today, juvenile criminal mischief is a serious problem and could result in fines and penalties for the children and their families. Criminal mischief covers a wide range of activites from throwing eggs at a car to painting graffiti on a public building. These incidents may sound like “kids just being kids” but the sentences can have an adverse affect on a child’s life. The penalties include: In Florida, the offender will be expected to pay a fine and possibly restitution to the victim. The parents are also held responsible; In Texas, criminal mischief is a misdemeanor. Depending on the offender’s juvenile record, he or she could be sentenced to time in a juvenile facility; In Texas and Florida, a conviction for criminal juvenile criminal mischief could lead to the suspension of the juvenile’s driver’s license.