Which statement describes an instance of entrapment?

Which statement describes an instance of entrapment?

• A. Police marking property to trace it later.
• B. A victim allowing a robbery to take place to catch the robber.
• C. Police leaving a door open to lure criminals.
• D. An undercover officer unsuccessfully trying to buy drugs from a dealer.

Answer: (C)

Enticement refers to a scenario where law enforcement induces a person to commit a crime that they would not have otherwise participated in. The statement that describes an instance of entrapment mentions police leaving a door open to lure criminals, which illustrates this concept clearly. In this case, the officers are creating a situation that encourages unlawful behavior, effectively tempting individuals into committing a crime that they might not have engaged in of their own accord. The other options do not fit the definition of entrapment as clearly. For instance, marking property for tracking purposes is a preventive tactic rather than an inducement for crime. A victim allowing a robbery to occur for the sake of catching the robber focuses more on tracking or recovering stolen property than on the principles of entrapment. Lastly, an undercover officer’s failed attempt to buy drugs does not involve coercing someone into committing an act they wouldn’t normally do; rather, it demonstrates a typical policing action aimed at gathering evidence.

Enticement refers to a scenario where law enforcement induces a person to commit a crime that they would not have otherwise participated in. The statement that describes an instance of entrapment mentions police leaving a door open to lure criminals, which illustrates this concept clearly. In this case, the officers are creating a situation that encourages unlawful behavior, effectively tempting individuals into committing a crime that they might not have engaged in of their own accord.

The other options do not fit the definition of entrapment as clearly. For instance, marking property for tracking purposes is a preventive tactic rather than an inducement for crime. A victim allowing a robbery to occur for the sake of catching the robber focuses more on tracking or recovering stolen property than on the principles of entrapment. Lastly, an undercover officer’s failed attempt to buy drugs does not involve coercing someone into committing an act they wouldn’t normally do; rather, it demonstrates a typical policing action aimed at gathering evidence.