Each crime is composed of which of the following components?

The components of a crime can be fundamentally understood through elements that define its occurrence and context. The correct choice identifies three critical aspects: the victim, the location, and the offender.

The victim is vital as they are the individual or entity that has been harmed or affected by the crime. The location provides the physical context in which the crime has taken place, which can affect jurisdiction, the application of laws, and the gathering of evidence. The offender is the person who has committed the crime, making their identification crucial for legal proceedings.

In contrast, while the other options touch on important elements relating to crimes, they do not encapsulate the overall structure of what constitutes a crime as clearly. For instance, motive, means, and opportunity relate to the circumstances that may lead to a crime but do not define the crime itself. The same applies to defendant, crime scene, and evidence, which are procedural aspects that follow after a crime has been committed but are not foundational components. Intent, actus reus, and mens rea are legal concepts that pertain to culpability and the theory of crime but do not encompass the broader view of crime composition as it relates to the overall context of victims, locations, and offenders. This makes the first option the most