{"id":352155,"date":"2023-11-22T16:49:11","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T21:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/solicitation.html"},"modified":"2023-11-22T16:49:11","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T21:49:11","slug":"solicitation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/solicitation.html","title":{"rendered":"Defenses and Legal Elements of Solicitation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Defenses and Legal Elements of Solicitation<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

Solicitation is a crime that involves encouraging or requesting someone else to commit a criminal act, even if the crime never actually happens. It applies to a wide range of offenses, including theft, violence, and prostitution, and can carry serious penalties. <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The character Fagin in Charles Dickens’\u00a0Oliver Twist\u00a0<\/i>took young boys under his wing and taught them to be pickpockets. He would then send the boys out into the streets of London to steal for him.\u00a0Fagin didn’t need to personally steal anything himself. Under modern statutes, Fagin could face criminal charges for inducing the boys to commit theft under the crime we know as solicitation.<\/p>\n

This article overviews the crime of solicitation, including the offense of solicitation of prostitution. It provides common elements of these crimes, possible penalties, and legal defenses. If you have been charged with solicitation or a related crime, you can also contact a defense attorney<\/a> in your area. An experienced attorney can help you understand your charges and start building a solid defense strategy.<\/p>\n

Elements of Solicitation<\/h2>\n

When people think of solicitation, it brings to mind the crime of prostitution<\/a>. In most jurisdictions, soliciting a person for a sexual act in return for either\u00a0payment\u00a0or some\u00a0other benefit\u00a0is a crime. In reality, the crime of solicitation occurs in contexts outside the area of prostitution. A more general definition of criminal solicitation includes the following:<\/p>\n