Recklessly damaging property is called criminal damage. Criminal damage as defined by Arizona state law (A.R.S. 13-1602(A)(B)) may be a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the amount of damage. In many cases, the person who commits criminal damage (or their parents if their are underage) is responsible for paying for the damages.
Defacing property is also considered criminal damage. This includes the marking, scratching, or painting of property that does not belong to you and without the owner's permission. Painting graffiti, for example, is breaking the law.
In Arizona, a 16-year old who spray-painted 32 homes, a half-dozen cars, and various garage doors and fences was tried as an adult and sentenced to 2 months in jail and 3 years probation. Juveniles who damage the property of others can be placed on probation (either with or without detention) and can be required to pay for damages.
Laws may have changed since this page was last updated. For the most current information, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.