Rikosyritykset

Rikosyritykset refers to the legal concept of attempted criminal acts within Finnish law. It pertains to situations where an individual intends to commit a crime but fails to complete it, either due to circumstances beyond their control or their own volition. The Finnish Penal Code distinguishes between completed crimes and attempted crimes, with attempted crimes generally carrying a lesser penalty than their completed counterparts.

For an act to be considered a rikosyritys, two main elements must be present: the intent to commit a specific crime and the commencement of actions that would have directly led to the commission of that crime, had it not been interrupted or failed. This means the perpetrator must have moved beyond mere preparation and entered the execution phase. For example, if someone aims a firearm at another person with the intent to kill and pulls the trigger, but the gun misfires, this could constitute an attempted homicide.

The severity of the penalty for rikosyritys is determined by the intended crime and the degree of its completion. The law allows for discretion in sentencing, considering factors such as the danger posed by the attempt and the perpetrator's culpability. In some cases, if the perpetrator voluntarily desists from completing the crime before it is finished and takes active steps to prevent its completion, they may be acquitted of attempted crime under certain conditions. This concept is known as voluntary withdrawal.