Which statement correctly describes inchoate offenses?

• A. A type of crime completed by taking a punishable step toward the commission of another crime.
• B. A category of crimes involving property theft only.
• C. A class of offenses that require a completed act before punishment.
• D. A defense to crime based on entrapment.

Answer: (A)

Inchoate offenses are crimes punished for actions that aim to commit another crime, even if that crime never happens. The statement fits because it describes a type of offense that is complete when someone takes a punishable step toward another crime, rather than requiring the target crime to be finished. Examples include attempting to rob after planning and taking steps toward the theft, soliciting someone to commit murder, or agreeing with others to commit a burglary. These offenses focus on the action and intent to pursue a crime, not on the completion of the underlying act. They aren’t limited to property theft, they don’t require a completed act to be punishable, and entrapment is a defense, not a form of an inchoate offense.