What offense is committed when a person, during a theft, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another?

The offense committed when a person, during a theft, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another is classified as robbery. Robbery encompasses the act of theft that is accompanied by the use or threat of force, which includes causing bodily harm to another individual during the commission of the theft.

This means that the element of using force or inflicting injury elevates the crime from mere theft to robbery. In Texas law, the distinction is significant because robbery entails a violent encounter or the potential for violence, indicating an increased level of threat to public safety.

The other categories, such as theft, burglary, and assault, do not encompass the full scope of actions that involve both the unlawful taking of property and the infliction of injury in this context. Theft simply involves the intent to deprive someone of their property without the added element of force or injury. Burglary pertains to entering a building or structure with the intent to commit theft or another crime therein, without necessarily causing injury during the act. Assault specifically relates to intentionally or knowingly causing physical harm to another person but does not specify the context of theft.

Thus, the correct classification for the scenario outlined is robbery, as it integrates both the intent to commit theft and the act of causing