Introduction
Burglary should be viewed as a form of property crime that occurs when a perpetrator uses various unlawful means to enter any building with or without breaking doors and windows. The main goal of burglary is to gain possession of the property (Vito & Maahs, 2020).
Discussion
In the United States, this crime is usually pursued depending on the particular state laws. For burglary with a typical forcible entry, a criminal act element is required, and it is the unlawful entering and taking of property (Mitchell, 2019). Having a usual goal of stealing someone’s property, a criminal can break locking systems for doors or use unlocked windows.
The second important element to discuss in this context is criminal intent. Thus, to qualify the crime as burglary, it is necessary to state that a criminal had or has the intent to realize burglary. This intent must be established prior to or after the act of burglary (Vito & Maahs, 2020). The focus is on a person’s intent to commit a crime after entering any private or public building, and this specific crime can include theft, assault, or any other criminal activities.
In addition, there are also attendant circumstances associated with burglary, such as the absence of the owner’s consent for entering a building or the use of tools. From this perspective, tools may include some picks to gain possession of the desired property. Additionally, this crime can be associated with the use of hacking skills to break down security systems or to prevent possible detection of entry (Vito & Maahs, 2020).
Conclusion
However, in spite of the attendant circumstances, the key elements to discuss with reference to burglary are a criminal’s unlawful entering a building and taking of property and the criminal intent.
References
Mitchell, R. (2019). Intent or opportunity: Eighth circuit analyzes intent element of generic burglary. Missouri Law Review, 84(1), 221-240.
Vito, G. F., & Maahs, J. R. (2020). Criminology: Theory, Research, and Policy (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.