Editing Inchoate offense (section)

==Intent==
{{main|Intention (criminal law)}}
Every inchoate crime or offense must have the ''[[mens rea]]'' of intent or of [[recklessness (law)|recklessness]], typically intent.  Absent a specific law, an inchoate offense requires that the defendant have the specific intent to commit the underlying crime. For example, for a defendant to be guilty of the inchoate crime of [[solicitation of murder]], he or she must have intended for a person to die.{{fact|date=August 2012}}

[[Attempt]],<ref>See, ''e.g.'', "§ 110.00 Attempt to commit a crime.  A person is guilty of an attempt to commit a crime when, with intent to commit a crime, he engages in conduct which tends to effect the commission of such crime." N.Y. Penal L. § 110.00.  Found at New York State Assembly government web site. Retrieved on 2010-11-01 from http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=@LLPEN+&LIST=LAW+&BROWSER=EXPLORER+&TOKEN=39445639+&TARGET=VIEW.</ref> [[conspiracy (criminal)|conspiracy]],<ref>See, ''e.g.'', "§ 105.00 Conspiracy in the sixth degree. A person is guilty of conspiracy in the sixth degree when, with intent that conduct constituting a crime be performed, he agrees with one or more persons to engage in or cause the performance of such conduct.   Conspiracy in the sixth degree is a class B misdemeanor."  N.Y. Penal L. § 105.00.  Found at New York State Assembly government web site. Retrieved on 2010-11-01 from http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=@LLPEN+&LIST=LAW+&BROWSER=EXPLORER+&TOKEN=39445639+&TARGET=VIEW.</ref> and [[solicitation]]<ref>See, ''e.g.'', "§ 100.00 Criminal solicitation in the fifth degree. A person is guilty of criminal solicitation in the fifth degree when, with intent that another person engage in conduct constituting a crime, he solicits, requests, commands, importunes or otherwise attempts to cause such other person to engage in such conduct. Criminal solicitation in the fifth degree is a violation." N.Y. Penal L. § 100.00.  Found at New York State Assembly government web site. Retrieved on 2010-11-01 from http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=@LLPEN+&LIST=LAW+&BROWSER=EXPLORER+&TOKEN=39445639+&TARGET=VIEW.</ref> all require ''mens rea''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McCord |first=James W. H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tBwyPwAACAAJ |title=Criminal Law and Procedure for the Paralegal: A Systems Approach |last2=McCord |first2=Sandra L. |date=2005-07-11 |publisher=Cengage Learning |isbn=978-1-4018-6564-1 |language=en}}</ref>

On the other hand, committing an offense under the US [[Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act]] merely requires "knowing",<ref>James W.H. McCord and Sandra L. McCord, ''Criminal Law and Procedure for the paralegal: a systems approach'', ''supra'', p. 206, citing ''United States v. Anguilo'' (1st Cir. 1988).</ref> that is, recklessness.  Facilitation also requires "believing",<ref>See, ''e.g.'', "§ 115.00 Criminal facilitation in the fourth degree. A person is guilty of criminal facilitation in the fourth degree when, believing it probable that he is rendering aid ...." N.Y. Penal L. § 115.00.  Found at New York State Assembly government web site. Retrieved on 2010-11-01 from http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=@LLPEN+&LIST=LAW+&BROWSER=EXPLORER+&TOKEN=39445639+&TARGET=VIEW.</ref> yet another way of saying reckless.{{fact|date=March 2013}}

Intent may be distinguished from recklessness and [[criminal negligence]] as a higher ''mens rea''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mens Rea |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/mens_rea |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=LII / Legal Information Institute |language=en}}</ref>

===Proof of intent===
Specific intent may be inferred from circumstances.<ref>See ''People v. Murphy'', 235 A.D. 933, 654 N.Y.S. 2d 187 (N.Y. 3d Dep't 1997).</ref>  It may be proven by the doctrine of "dangerous proximity", while the [[Model Penal Code]] requires a "substantial step in a course of conduct".<ref>James W.H. McCord and Sandra L. McCord, ''Criminal Law and Procedure for the paralegal: a systems approach'', ''supra'', pp. 189-190, citing ''People v. Acosta'', (N.Y. 1993) and Model Penal Code section 5.01(1)(c).</ref>