To establish recklessness, what must a defendant know?

To establish recklessness, it is essential for a defendant to have knowledge of the risk associated with their conduct. Recklessness is characterized by a conscious disregard of a known risk that results in harm to another party. The key element here is that the defendant must be aware of the risk their actions pose but proceeds with those actions despite this knowledge.

This awareness distinguishes recklessness from mere negligence, where a person may fail to recognize a risk but does not consciously disregard it. In situations of recklessness, the defendant not only understands that their behavior presents a danger but also chooses to act anyway, indicating a willful disregard for the safety of others.

The other options focus on different aspects that, while potentially relevant in other contexts, do not directly relate to the definition of recklessness. For instance, knowing the value of one's actions or the consequences for others may be relevant in determining intent or negligence but not specifically in addressing the knowledge of risk that forms the basis for proving recklessness. Similarly, knowing how to avoid future risks does not necessarily pertain to what the defendant must know at the time of the reckless act. Thus, understanding the risk is the fundamental requirement for establishing recklessness.