Law I / Attempt, Desistance and Participation
Practice question · Sort into groups

Sort each act by how the criminal law treats it.

Groups: Not punishable at all · Punishable only where the law expressly provides · Punishable as an attempt

Hints
  1. The first column contains nothing external at all.
  2. The middle column contains external acts that stop short of beginning execution.
Show the answer

Not punishable at all: Agreeing together to rob a shop, Wishing rival harm

Punishable only where the law expressly provides: Forming plan to rob, Broadcasting to incite

Punishable as an attempt: Forcing a door to rob, Reaching in till before seized

Why

The boundary between the second and third columns is the beginning of execution, and it is where most of the litigation happens. Forcing the door is the start of executing the robbery; agreeing to commit it is not, however firmly it was agreed, which is why the second column exists only for the specific offences the legislator has singled out.

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