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Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation

Federal Statutes

Federal Statutes Relating to Crimes Against Children

We exercise jurisdiction and investigative responsibilities pursuant to the following federal statutes pertaining to various violent crimes against children.

1) Follow the links for summaries from the Federal Criminal Code and Rules under Title 18 of the United States Code. Federal law defines a “minor” as a child under the age of 18 unless specified otherwise. (Note: All links below are PDFs.)

Implemented in April 2003, the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to End Child Exploitation Today (PROTECT) Act was originally known for creating a nationwide AMBER Alert system, though it did much more, including increasing penalties for certain convictions. Read the full act for additional details.