Differentiate between 'general intent' and 'specific intent'.

General intent refers to the basic understanding that an individual has the intention to perform a particular act that is defined as a crime. In criminal law, this means that to establish general intent, the prosecution only needs to demonstrate that the individual intended to engage in conduct that constitutes a crime, regardless of the outcome or the person's motivations behind that conduct.

Specific intent, on the other hand, involves a greater degree of mental determination. It requires that the individual not only intended to commit the act (as in general intent) but also had a particular purpose or desire to achieve a specific result from that act. For instance, in crimes such as theft, the perpetrator must specifically intend to deprive another person of their property.

This difference is crucial for legal outcomes and defenses in criminal cases. Understanding general intent helps clarify cases where the focus is on whether the defendant acted with a purposeful mindset, while specific intent delves deeper into the motivations and goals behind a person's actions.