Offenses Violations of Law may be treated as petty offenses, misdemeanors, or felonies. A misdemeanor is a crime that is less serious than a felony. Examples of misdemeanors are shoplifting, disorderly conduct, and illegal possession or consumption of alcohol. A felony involves a serious crime, such as kidnapping, sexual assault, or burglary. Felonies may be punishable by a fine or a prison term, or both.
Judges also have the discretion to place the offender on probation.
The person who furnishes the alcohol to an underage person, however, may be charged with a class 1 misdemeanor. A merchant or an employee can detain a person suspected of shoplifting, with reasonable cause, in a reasonable manner for a reasonable amount of time. The merchant may question the person or may send for law enforcement officers during this period. Shoplifting is a class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine and jail time. However, Arizona law does authorize a judge to sentence a convicted shoplifter to community service rather than impose a fine.