An inchoate crime might never be completed. The rationale of punishing a defendant for an inchoate crime is prevention and deterrence. The three inchoate crimes are attempt, conspiracy, and solicitation .This Working Paper in the series covering the general part of the criminal law deals with the three common law offences of conspiracy, attempt and incitement. These are known as inchoate offences since they may be committed notwithstanding that the substantive offence to which they relate is not committed. Indeed, if the substantive offence is committed, no question of attempt will normally arise, and where there has been incitement the person inciting becomes a party, as an accessory to the substantive offence. Conspiracy differs from the other two offences in that even where the offence it was conspired to commit has in fact been committed there are circumstances in which a charge of conspiracy is appropriate.