solicitation | Definition

Solicitation is the act of seeking or requesting another person to commit a crime with the intent that the crime be committed.

In criminal law, solicitation is a specific type of crime that involves attempting to persuade, encourage, or otherwise influence another person to commit a criminal offense. The crime of solicitation is typically charged when an individual is found to have actively sought out someone else to commit a crime, with the intention of benefiting from the commission of that crime.

Some common examples of solicitation include asking someone to engage in prostitution, offering a bribe to a public official, or attempting to hire someone to commit a murder. In each of these cases, the person committing the crime of solicitation is seeking to persuade another person to engage in illegal activity, with the understanding that they will benefit in some way from the commission of that crime.

The crime of solicitation is often considered a serious offense, and those who are convicted may face significant legal penalties, including fines and imprisonment. In some cases, the penalties for solicitation may be just as severe as the penalties for actually committing the crime that was solicited.

One important factor in determining whether an individual has committed the crime of solicitation is the presence of intent. To be found guilty of solicitation, an individual must have intended to encourage or persuade another person to commit a crime, and must have taken steps to make that intent clear.