What offenses are committed when a man breaks into a house to escape the heat and damages a window?

In the scenario described, the correct answer focuses on the concepts of trespassing and criminal mischief. Trespassing occurs simply because the individual entered someone else's property without permission. It doesn't matter what their intent was—whether it was to escape the heat or for any other reason—entering the property without consent constitutes trespassing.

Criminal mischief relates to the damage caused to the property, specifically the broken window in this case. This offense involves intentionally or recklessly damaging someone else's property. The action of breaking the window while attempting to escape the heat meets the criteria for criminal mischief because it resulted in the destruction of property belonging to another person.

In this context, while other offenses might be related to entering a building unlawfully, the specific actions of trespassing and causing damage are the most appropriate designations for this scenario. The other terms, such as burglary or theft, would imply a different intent—such as entering with the intent to commit a crime inside or stealing property—which is not present in this case. Thus, the combination of trespassing and criminal mischief accurately captures the offenses committed in this situation.