Attempt was originally an offence under the common law of England.
Attempt crimes are crimes where the defendant's actions have the form of the actual enaction of the crime itself: the actions must go beyond mere preparation.
The essence of the crime of attempt is that the defendant has failed to commit the actus reus (the Latin term for the "guilty act") of the full offense, but has the direct and specific intent to commit that full offense. The normal rule for establishing criminal liability is to prove an actus reus accompanied by a mens rea ("guilty mind") at the relevant time (see concurrence and strict liability offenses as the exception to the rule).
Read more about Attempt: The actus Reus of Attempted Crime, The Question of Impossibility, The mens Rea of Attempted Crime, No Attempt, Abandonment
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