Final answer:
Criminal conspiracy and committing a felony are considered inchoate offenses, which are incomplete crimes involving acts toward committing a crime. The Fifth Amendment requires that felonies must be indicted by a grand jury, with some exceptions. Additionally, the concept of treason is strictly defined and difficult to prove without significant evidence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Criminal conspiracy and committing a felony are indeed referred to as inchoate offenses. An inchoate offense is an incomplete crime that goes beyond mere thought but falls short of actual commission of the intended crime. This can include acts like planning, soliciting, or attempting to commit a crime. Felonies, on the other hand, are more serious crimes which can range from murder to burglary, and require indictment by a grand jury according to the Fifth Amendment, unless exceptions apply such as in cases of misdemeanors, state laws that use preliminary hearings, or for members of the armed forces.
Furthermore, scenarios like the one described where two suspects are apprehended and implicated in a felony, illustrate the strategic decision-making process that can occur during criminal investigations. Known as the Prisoner's Dilemma, this police interrogation technique is to secure convictions or confessions, even when direct evidence is lacking. However, the constitutional rights, such as due process and fair trial, must be observed to avoid wrongful convictions and upholding justice.
The subject of treason is highlighted as a particularly serious crime, outlined in Section 3 Clause 1 of the Constitution, which requires a high level of proof for conviction (two eyewitnesses to the act or a confession in open court), which makes convictions for treason rare today.