Entrapment

Also known as: Government Inducement

In one sentence

When government agents induce someone to commit a crime they wouldn't otherwise commit.

Plain English

Entrapment occurs when a police officer or informant tricks, pressures, or persuades you into committing a crime you had no intention of committing. The law recognizes that while undercover operations are legitimate, the government cannot manufacture crimes by creating the criminal intent in an innocent person. If you can prove entrapment, the charges against you may be dismissed.

Ad slot

Example

An undercover officer repeatedly pressured a man to sell drugs, offering him money and threatening him until he finally agreed. The defendant could argue entrapment because the officer created the criminal intent rather than catching him in an existing plan.

Used in a sentence

“The defendant's entrapment defense argued that the undercover agent initiated the illegal scheme.”

Related terms

criminal intent

The mental state or purpose required to commit a crime.

culpable mental state

The defendant's guilty mind or criminal intent required to establish liability for a crime.

Defense Attorney

A lawyer who represents a person accused of a crime in court.

Conviction

A formal declaration that someone is guilty of a crime after trial or plea.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

The highest standard of proof required to convict a defendant in a criminal trial.

Stand Your Ground

A law allowing a person to use force, including deadly force, to defend themselves without a duty to retreat.

Castle Doctrine

A law stating that a person's home is their castle and they can use force to defend it without duty to retreat.

Expungement

A legal process that erases or seals a criminal conviction from your record.

This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney.