Entrapment

legal practice

Entrapment is inducement[1] to commit a crime, especially by authorities, to get a conviction.[2] The implication is that the person might otherwise have been unlikely to commit the crime. In some countries, entrapment is a possible defense against criminal liability.

Another similar term is agent provocateur, an older French term for the person who does the inducing.

A sting operation is a more sophisticated way to trap criminals. It usually involves leaving a bait, and filming or catching whoever takes the bait.

References

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  1. Inducement: trap or trick or persuade or offer help
  2. Concise Oxford Dictionary p451.