What is the punishment for doing graffiti?

Answer 1

Under Penal Code section 594, the penalty given depends on the dollar amount of damage done. Essentially, the cost of property damages done by a tagger determines whether he or she is charged with a misdemeanor or a felony. The vandal is alloted a separate charge for each victim, so multiple victims (multiple tags across different properties) are not stockpiled into one single charge. If the amount of damage (for each charge) is less than $400, it's a misdemeanor and is punishable by up to a year in jail or a fine of up to $1,000. If the damage is more than $400, the offense may be charged as a felony, requiring a penalty of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to $10,000.