Failure to pay traffic tickets. There is no imminent or direct danger to others in getting traffic tickets if the offence is something like parking in a no parking zone. --- Perhaps I didn't explain myself very well. When I said 'parking in a No Parking Zone', I did NOT mean parking in a 'Fire Lane' or such . I meant parking in a zone where parking is restricted at certain times of the day or something similar. I DID say 'no ..direct' danger, not NO danger or risk. The question did say 'least damaging.' Not 'absolutely no risk to anybody anytime anywhere.' Obviously, if something is illegal enough to eventually send someone to prison, there is some risk or danger inherent in it somewhere.

Some people categorize types of crime as being "malum in se": crimes that are wrong in themselves, and "malum prohibitum": crimes that exist only in the wording of the law, i.e. victimless crimes or morals crimes. The latter are generally the least damaging crimes to innocents (damaging yourself isn't a crime--or shouldn't be--it's just stupid). You could buy or sell marijuana. That's a mutually consensual trade that harms nobody. But to qualify as "least damaging" you should not drive or perform any duties that other people's safety depends on while under the influence of it (just as you shouldn't drive while drunk or hungover [while you're hungover, you're still moderately impaired and are unsafe to drive]). When used in moderation, an occasional marijuana (like an occasional beer or wine), is harmless. You could go to a prostitute, or offer yourself as one. This is also a mutually consensual trade that harms nobody. Now, there is a _risk_ of harm to _yourself_ of catching an STD, but I'm assuming that an adult in a free society should have the right to choose his own risks in life. [Edit: The only reason that "crimes" such as drugs and prostitution leads to other "crimes" is because (1) those subsequent activities are also defined by government as "crimes," (2) prohibition creates a black market in the prohibited good or service, and (3) injustice and unprovoked violence committed by government against people interacting consensually allows some people to justify committing injustice against each other.]

Live in Indiana and drive around with a stripper's picture on your car. Note: I'm not suggesting pictures like this couldn't conceivably be harmful to someone, somewhere, at some point, but it falls pretty much into the realm of "less damaging", considering the availability of similar pictures on the internet and cable TV. http://www.courttv.com/people/scm/011504_ctv.html "Car's painting lands mom in hot water NDIANAPOLIS — A kinky car has a mom facing felony charges. Erica Meredith, 25, faces three years in prison for allegedly driving a 1976 Buick emblazoned with an airbrushed image of a nude female stripper to school to pick up her 8-year-old daughter. Marion County prosecutors charged Meredith with disseminating matter harmful to minors. The 3-by-5-foot painting on the car trunk reportedly shows a naked woman hanging on a pole as two men, one smoking a cigar, look on from the audience. The woman's breasts and pubic area are visible in the airbrushed image. Police reportedly saw the painting when they stopped Meredith for driving with a broken taillight. She reportedly told police that the car is registered to her, but belongs to her boyfriend, Keyon Johnson, who believes the trunk painting is art. Authorities say the racy ride was inappropriate for Meredith's children and other students at the elementary school. Meredith reportedly claimed that because her own car's transmission was not working she used her boyfriend's car to pick up her daughter. A pretrial hearing in the case is set for Feb. 19 in Marion County Superior Court." ~~ If that's a little too wild, consider the following from: http://www.dribbleglass.com/subpages/laws.htm: Some would probably be dismissed, but if you REALLY wanted to go to prison, you could probably press the issue and piss the D.A. off to the point where he or she would be happy to recommend time in the big house. In Idaho, the law states all boxes of candy given as romantic gifts must weigh more than 50 pounds. In Washington state, it's against the law to sleep in an outhouse without the owner's permission. In Texas, it's illegal to put graffiti on someone else's cow. In Alabama, dominoes may not be played on Sunday. In Pueblo, Colorado, it is illegal to let a dandelion grow within city limits. It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on in North Dakota. In Berkeley, California, you can't whistle for an escaped bird before 7:00 a.m. An old law in Bellingham, Washington, made it illegal for a woman to take anything other than backwards steps while dancing. In Florida, having sexual relations with a porcupine is illegal. In Nogales, Arizona, it is illegal to wear suspenders. In Atlanta, Georgia, it is illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp. In the state of Texas, it is illegal to take more than three sips of beer at a time while standing. It's against the law for a woman to drive in a house coat in California. In Texas, it's illegal to milk another person's cow.

When you say "least damaging" I conclude that you mean the least amount of victims or the least amount of impact on the victims. These would include: Fraud - There are so many kinds of fraud that can land you in prison such as money laundering, stolen credit cards, check fraud, grand larceny and filing fake tax returns in order to get a refund. Counterfiting - Money obviously is the big one. But you can counterfit other things like checks, game tickets, designer clothing, etc.. And then there are others such as getting on the plane with a gun or going on a cruise and bringing back a large amount of illegal drugs in your luggage.

You could throw a brick at a store window just don't aim it at anybody.

Do you really want to go to prison or just inquisitive? do you mean damage to property or intentional damage to a human? the question is vague. misdemeanors are crimes punishable by 11 months and 29 in a workhouse. felonies are crimes that carry penalties above 11 months and 29 days. its hard to answer your question, based on the lack of understanding of your question. but, i will give it a try. if you are a repeat offender of a misdemeanor, for say damage to anothers property, you can be sentenced to time in a workhouse. same applies to simple assault charges or torts. arson, use of explosive devices, aggravated assault(weapon), homocide are serious felonies and first-time offenders can go to prison. so you see, you can be sentenced, upon conviction, to prison for a damaging crime like bigamy. being married to two different people at the same time. its not the least damaging crime, but it definetely effects the people and children involved.

Of all the crimes I can think of, I would have to say that jay walking is the least harmful or incriminating. It doesn't hurt or offend anyone, no one jay walks when there's a huge line of traffic, unless they're an idiot, in which case they deserve it.

My favourite, bunch a cop in the nose!

Graffiti the outside prison walls. Bazza

rob the bank... but the fastest way that the whole world will know you------- bomb attack

Don't know why you ask this question. But it isn't where you ever want to be i know 3 people who are in prision and it has devastated many lifes.:(( Nitty

This sounds like some real naive person asked this one. Prison is not jail. It is way heavier and you have to commit some real atrocity to be sent there.

Embezzle a lot of money. You don't physically hurt anyone, nor is there any real chance of you physically hurting anyone directly. And yes, you can be sent to prison for this. I know someone who almost was until they reached a settlement outside of court.

Con artist. Figure a way of getting caught trying to scam people out of their money. Not only will you wind up in jail, but you'll be right at the top of the inmate hierarchy. Inmates love con artists.

if you want to be sent to jail without hurting anyone, go into a courtroom and shout something that the judge will put you in jail for contempt of court. . if you want to be sent to prison, you usually need a felony. walk up to a police officer. pretend that you are reaching for his revolver and say, "i'm going to shoot the world". you'll be arrested for and likely convicted for, at minimum, A&B on a LEO and perhaps attempted murder of a LEO. just make sure that at least one finger touches the gun BUT don't try to unleash it. . maybe having more than X grams of marijuana for personal use or driving said marijuana across the border of your state???

If this is really something that you aspire to do, in California, rack up 12 Driving on a Suspended and you can get 16 months with 1/2 time.