What is it called when the government induces a defendant to commit a crime?

The term used when the government induces a defendant to commit a crime is called entrapment. Entrapment is a legal defense that argues that the defendant was persuaded or coerced by law enforcement officials to engage in criminal activity that they would not have otherwise committed. This concept is founded on the idea that it is fundamentally unjust for the government to create a crime and then prosecute an individual for it. The defense is often used in cases where the defendant claims they were unaware of the criminal nature of their actions until law enforcement intervened.

The other options, while related to the context of criminal law, refer to different concepts. Coercion involves forcing someone to act against their will, often through threats or intimidation. Solicitation refers to the act of urging or encouraging someone to commit a crime. Conspiracy involves an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime, with an intent to achieve that unlawful objective. Each of these terms represents different legal principles that do not specifically address the government’s role in inducing a crime as entrapment does.