Which of the following is a common law specific intent crime?

• A. Assault
• B. Larceny
• C. Burglary
• D. Battery

Answer: (B)

Specific intent crimes require not just performing the act but achieving a particular result. Larceny is the classic example: the offender must intend to permanently deprive the owner of the property. That future-oriented goal is what makes it a specific intent offense.

Assault and battery, by contrast, focus on the act itself—harmful or offensive contact—and the offender’s intent to perform that act. They don’t require a further aim like permanently depriving someone of property, so they’re general intent offenses. Burglary involves entering a building with the intent to commit a crime inside, which is also an extra objective beyond the entry, and is often treated as a specific intent crime as well; however, the commonly cited example for a single best fit here is larceny due to the explicit requirement of intent to permanently deprive.