Intent is a crucial element of an attempt charge. It must be proven that the defendant took steps towards committing the crime, not only planning it, for it to be considered true intent. In certain instances, however, if there was a detailed plan that an individual attempted to act upon, then it could suffice as evidence for intent. For an individual to be charged with attempt, there must have been forethought (intent). Generally speaking, a crime that requires no planning but is attempted cannot be charged as attempt. For example, manslaughter does not require planning but rather is committed during a heat of the moment reaction; therefore, a person is typically not charged with attempted manslaughter, especially at the beginning of a criminal case, because there was no true intent to begin with. It by no means states a person cannot be charged with manslaughter, but they simply cannot be charged with attempt.