Question: What are the penalties for vandalism on campus?

Detective Jason Brown, Brookhaven College Police Department: “The penalty for vandalism varies depending on the offense.

The two main acts of vandalism we see on campus are Criminal Mischief, which, depending on the amount of pecuniary loss, ranges from a Class C misdemeanor to a felony of the first degree.

If the loss is less than $50, it is a class C misdemeanor; if it is more than $50 but less than $500, is a Class B Misdemeanor; if it is more than $500 but less than $1,500, it is a Class A Misdemeanor.

If the loss is more than $1,500 but less than $20,000, the crime is considered a State Jail Felony.

If the loss more than $20,000 but less than $100,000, the crime is considered a felony of the third degree.

Losses with costs of  more than $100,000 but less than $200,000 are felonies of the second degree, and any losses over $200,000 are a felonies of the first degree.

The other offense we see is graffiti, for which, because we are an Institution of Higher Learning, the penalty is a State Jail Felony.

The penalty for a Class C misdemeanor is a fine not to exceed $500; a Class B Misdemeanor is a fine not to exceed $2,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days, or both jail and confinement.

A Class A misdemeanor is a fine not to exceed $4,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year, or both jail and confinement.

A State Jail Felony is confinement in a state jail for any term of not more than two years or less than 180 days, and in addition to confinement a fine not to exceed $10,000.

A felony of the third degree is imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for any term of not more than 10 years or less than two years and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

A felony of the second degree is imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for any term of not more than 20 years or less than five years and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

A felony of the first degree is imprisonment in the TDCJ for life or any term of not more than 99 years or less than five years and a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

Do you have a question a professor or staff member can answer? Students and employees can email [email protected].