Attempt: Criminal Charges without Actually Completing a Crime

When you are facing criminal charges, there is a chance that those charges will come without you having to actually have successfully committed the crime. It is possible for you to be charged with an attempted crime. The addition of the word “attempt” can have a profound impact on your case.

When you are facing a charge for criminal attempt, it means that you tried to commit the crime but you weren’t successful. There are a host of criminal acts that might end up being attempted : attempted robbery, attempted rape and attempted murder.

One of the main points in the prosecution’s case in crimes that are labeled as attempted is that there has to be an intent established. This crucial bit of evidence can make or break the case against you, so it is imperative that you work with your defense to determine how you are going to address this claim.

In some cases, you might have only planned to commit a crime in order for you to face attempt charges. This might be the case if you make the plans and go to carry them out but aren’t able to actually do it. For example, if you plan to murder someone but when you go to do it, the person is gone and you can’t find him or her.

There is a fine line that you have to consider when you are facing this type of charge. While the actual sentence might not be as harsh as if you had actually committed the crime, you might still face some serious penalties. If your attempt is a felony charge, for example, you would be labeled a felon if you are ultimately convicted.

Source: FindLaw, “Attempt,” accessed Jan. 13, 2017