Under Arson of Any Other Structure, no person is present and damage under $1,000 yields what class?

Under Arson of Any Other Structure, no person is present and damage under $1,000 yields what class?

• A. Class 1 misdemeanor
• B. Class 2 felony
• C. Class 3 felony
• D. Class 4 felony

Answer: (A)

Arson offenses are graded by two factors: whether a person is inside the structure and how much damage occurred. When the structure is not a dwelling and no one is present, the offense is kept at a lower level, and if the damage is under a thousand dollars, it falls into the lowest misdemeanor tier for arson—Class 1. The absence of occupants reduces the risk to life, and the small amount of damage keeps it from escalating to a felony. If someone had been present or if the damage were higher, the charge would move to a higher class or a felony. So this specific scenario fits the Class 1 misdemeanor level.

Arson offenses are graded by two factors: whether a person is inside the structure and how much damage occurred. When the structure is not a dwelling and no one is present, the offense is kept at a lower level, and if the damage is under a thousand dollars, it falls into the lowest misdemeanor tier for arson—Class 1. The absence of occupants reduces the risk to life, and the small amount of damage keeps it from escalating to a felony. If someone had been present or if the damage were higher, the charge would move to a higher class or a felony. So this specific scenario fits the Class 1 misdemeanor level.