What is entrapment?

Entrapment is a legal defense used in criminal cases that involves law enforcement officers or agents inducing a person to commit a crime they otherwise would not have committed. This type of conduct is unlawful and is not allowed in California or other states. Entrapment occurs when a law enforcement officer or an agent of the government uses deceptive tactics to persuade someone to commit a crime they are not predisposed to commit. For example, if an undercover officer offers money to someone to commit a crime and the person accepts, this could be entrapment. In order to claim entrapment, the defendant must show that they only committed the crime because they were induced by the government. In California, the defendant must prove that they would not have committed the offense except for the improper conduct of the law enforcement officer or agent. This includes proving that the officer or agent actually encouraged them to commit the crime. When an entrapment defense is successful, the criminal charges against the defendant may be dismissed. If the entrapment defense is unsuccessful, the defendant may still be able to reduce their sentence if they can show that their involvement in the offense was minimal or that they otherwise would not have committed the offense without the improper conduct of the police.

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What is entrapment?

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