What is the intent behind the crime of forgery?

The intent behind the crime of forgery is to deceive with a false instrument. This means that when someone engages in forgery, they intentionally create or alter a document with the intent to mislead others. The primary goal of this act is to enable the perpetrator to gain some advantage, whether financial, legal, or otherwise, by presenting the forged document as if it were genuine.

Forgery encompasses various actions, including creating fake signatures or altering existing documents to misrepresent their authenticity. The fraudulent intent is crucial; it distinguishes forgery from other document-related actions. For instance, simply making a copy of a document without intent to deceive does not constitute forgery.

The other choices, while related to documents, do not encapsulate the essence of forgery as clearly as the correct answer does. Creating a legitimate document, altering an already valid document, and legally proving a document's authenticity do not inherently involve the deception that is central to the act of forgery itself. Hence, the focus on deception aligns precisely with the legal definition and intent behind the crime.