Which offense is punishable by up to 1 year?

• A. Up to 15 days
• B. 16 days to 1 year
• C. More than 1 year
• D. 2-3 years

Answer: (B)

In New York, offenses are grouped by the maximum time you can be imprisoned: violations (up to 15 days), misdemeanors (up to 1 year), and felonies (more than 1 year). Saying an offense is punishable by up to 1 year points to the misdemeanor category. That means the possible sentence ranges somewhere from a small number of days up to 1 year, commonly described as 16 days to 1 year.

The option that says up to 15 days corresponds to a violation, not a misdemeanor. The options that indicate more than 1 year (or 2–3 years) point to felonies. So the choice reflecting 16 days to 1 year best matches the misdemeanor range.