What is meant by "criminal conspiracy"?

The term "criminal conspiracy" is defined as an agreement between two or more parties to commit a crime, coupled with at least one overt act taken in furtherance of that agreement. This aspect of the definition is crucial because it highlights two key components: the existence of an agreement to engage in criminal behavior and the requirement that at least one of the conspirators take a step toward committing the crime.

This legal concept is significant because it allows law enforcement to prosecute individuals not only for the crimes they commit but also for the planning and preparation stages, recognizing the threat posed by collaborative criminal efforts. In contrast, simply planning a crime without any action, as mentioned in one of the options, would not meet the criteria for conspiracy since it lacks the enacted step toward completion of the crime.