I am being charged with graffiti tagging and I am underage. What laws charges and penalties will I face?

Graffiti has been a problem for many states ongoing for decades now. It costs states such as California about $20 million dollars a year to prevent it, and on average about 19,000 reports per year. Each state, and even local counties within their state, has their own rules and laws for graffiti prevention.

Many graffiti charges are taken seriously because several “taggers” are either gang suspects or have known ties to local gangs. Thus, the police are rather aggressive and stern on charging graffiti violators. Usually, sentencing would get you no more than a misdemeanor and along with a charge for property damage and/or vandalism. You would be required to pay some fines for both the damage and a penalty for violating the law. Repeat offenses can land you some jail time.

You should research your local county’s laws about graffiti and consult with a Juvenile Criminal Defense Lawyer. A lawyer may be able to help get the charge and penalties reduced, and perhaps help you avoid a stain on your record.