A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to insert a general provision for criminal attempt.

Amends the Federal criminal code to provide that whoever, acting with the state of mind otherwise required for the commission of a Federal offense, intentionally engages in conduct that, in fact, constitutes a substantial step toward the commission of the offense, is guilty of an attempt and is subject to the same penalties as prescribed for the offense the commission of which was the object of the attempt (but bars imposition of the death penalty).

Specifies that inability to commit the offense, and completion of the offense, are not defenses to a prosecution under this Act, with exceptions.

Makes it an affirmative defense, on which the defendant bears the burden of persuasion by a preponderance of the evidence, that under circumstances manifesting a voluntary and complete renunciation of criminal intent, the defendant prevented the commission of the offense.

[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 413 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 413

 To amend title 18, United States Code, to insert a general provision 
                         for criminal attempt.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 11, 1999

  Mr. DeWine introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 18, United States Code, to insert a general provision 
                         for criminal attempt.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF GENERAL ATTEMPT OFFENSE.

    Chapter 19 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in the chapter heading, by striking ``Conspiracy'' and 
        inserting ``Inchoate offenses''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 374. Attempt to commit offense
    ``(a) In General.--Whoever, acting with the state of mind otherwise 
required for the commission of an offense described in this title, 
intentionally engages in conduct that, in fact, constitutes a 
substantial step toward the commission of the offense, is guilty of an 
attempt and is subject to the same penalties as those prescribed 
for the offense, the commission of which was the object of the attempt, 
except that the penalty of death shall not be imposed.
    ``(b) Inability To Commit Offense; Completion of Offense.--It is 
not a defense to a prosecution under this section--
            ``(1) that it was factually impossible for the actor to 
        commit the offense, if the offense could have been committed 
        had the circumstances been as the actor believed them to be; or
            ``(2) that the offense attempted was completed.
    ``(c) Exceptions.--This section does not apply--
            ``(1) to an offense consisting of conspiracy, attempt, 
        endeavor, or solicitation;
            ``(2) to an offense consisting of an omission, refusal, 
        failure of refraining to act;
            ``(3) to an offense involving negligent conduct; or
            ``(4) to an offense described in section 1118, 1120, 1121, 
        or 1153 of this title.
    ``(d) Affirmative Defense.--
            ``(1) In general.--It is an affirmative defense to a 
        prosecution under this section, on which the defendant bears 
        the burden of persuasion by a preponderance of the evidence, 
        that, under circumstances manifesting a voluntary and complete 
        renunciation of criminal intent, the defendant prevented the 
        commission of the offense.
            ``(2) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, a 
        renunciation is not `voluntary and complete' if it is motivated 
        in whole or in part by circumstances that increase the 
        probability of detection or apprehension or that make it more 
        difficult to accomplish the offense, or by a decision to 
        postpone the offense until a more advantageous time or to 
        transfer the criminal effort to a similar objective or 
        victim.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 
19 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``374. Attempt to commit offense.''.

SEC. 2. RATIONALIZATION OF CONSPIRACY PENALTY AND CREATION OF 
              RENUNCIATION DEFENSE.

    Section 371 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking the second undesignated paragraph; and
            (2) in the first undesignated paragraph--
                    (A) by striking ``If two or more'' and inserting 
                the following:
    ``(a) In General.--If 2 or more''; and
                    (B) by striking ``either to commit any offense 
                against the United States, or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Conspiracy.--If 2 or more persons conspire to commit any 
offense against the United States, and 1 or more of such persons do any 
act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be subject to 
the same penalties as those prescribed for the most serious offense, 
the commission of which was the object of the conspiracy, except that 
the penalty of death shall not be imposed.''.
                                 <all>