what is solicitation

Solicitation refers to the act of offering or attempting to purchase goods and/or services. In a legal context, it can also mean encouraging someone to commit a crime. This can involve seeking out another person to engage in a criminal act, and a person may be charged with solicitation if they affirmatively intended to have another commit a crime. The act of solicitation is completed when an individual encourages or convinces another person to commit a crime, and it can take the form of a request, suggestion, or encouragement to complete the crime. Unlike conspiracy or attempt, solicitation does not require that the solicited party actually take any action to commit the crime; simply asking a person to commit a crime is enough.