St. George Vandalism

The exact definition of Vandalism is the intent and malicious destruction of or damage to the property of another.

The intentional destruction of property is popularly referred to as vandalism. It includes behavior such as breaking windows, slashing tires, spray painting a wall with graffiti, and destroying a computer system through the use of a computer virus. Vandalism is a malicious act and may reflect personal ill will, although the perpetrators need not know their victim to commit vandalism. The recklessness of the act imputes both intent and malice.

Because the destruction of public and private property poses a threat to society, modern statutes make vandalism a crime. The penalties upon conviction may be a fine, a jail sentence, an order to pay for repairs or replacement, or all three. In addition, a person who commits vandalism may be sued in a civil tort action for damages so that the damaged property can be repaired or replaced.

Vandalism is a general term that may not actually appear in criminal statutes. Frequently, these statutes employ the terms criminal mischief, malicious mischief, or malicious trespass as opposed to vandalism. A group of individuals can be convicted of conspiring or acting concertedly to commit vandalism. Generally, the attempt to commit vandalism is an offense as well, but the penalties for attempted vandalism are not as severe as the penalties for a completed act. Penalties also depend on the value of the property destroyed or the cost of repairing it.

To obtain a conviction the prosecution must ordinarily prove that the accused damaged or destroyed some property, that the property did not belong to the accused, and that the accused acted willfully and with malice.

The peak period for committing relatively minor property crimes is between the ages of fifteen and twenty-one. In the United States adolescent vandalism, including the wanton destruction of schools, causes millions of dollars of damage each year. Apprehending vandals is often difficult, and the costs of repairing the damage are passed on to taxpayers, private property owners, and insurance companies. Some states hold parents financially responsible for vandalism committed by their minor children, up to specified limits.

St. George is a wonderful family safe community and while it may be well taken care of and not run down, it is still not safe from vandalism. Vandalism typically occurs during the late hours of the night when less respectful residents turn on our town with spray paint, rocks and other tools to destroy and deface public and private property. Areas that are affected can be homes, businesses, parks and any place that vandalism can be widely seen.

If your home or business has be vandalized contact HiCaliber today. HiCaliber has been working with Washington County Sheriffs office and the Washington County local Police Departments for years. We will work hand in hand with local law enforcement to ensure that all damage is inspected and recorded while offering you the services needed to help your property return to normal again. If any repairs are necessary or cleaning HiCaliber can take care of that for you. It’s simple, if you have been affected by vandalism call HiCaliber today at (435) 674-9338 or visit us online at http://www.hicaliber.biz