Abduction

Legal Context for Abduction

The criminal action of carrying out the abduction of another person might be designated as an illegal act under formal legal statutes under the alternate title of kidnapping. The U.S. laws relevant to acts of abduction primarily derive from the source of English Common Law.

Due to the country’s origins in a group of colonies under the control of the British Empire, U.S. legal theory has been most applicably influenced by this source, as is generally contrasted with the alternative concept of civil law which stresses statutes over precedent, a primary emphasis of common law systems. Accordingly, the legal measures drafted in relation to preventing and punishing acts of abduction have been observed to typically designate such specific aspects of illegal actions as transportation of the kidnapped person, with the possible additional element of false imprisonment.

Reasons for Abduction

While individuals who commit the crime of abduction may do so for a number of reasons, two of the most commonly noted are ransom and child custody disputes. The latter can be observed as unique in legal terms as not necessarily involving the lack of consent of the victim, but rather of the adult parent or guardian with authority over the minor involved.

U.S. Legal Context for Abduction

The U.S. Congress-passed Lindbergh Laws, inspired by and named after the notorious case of the abduction and eventual murder of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh’s young son, are credited with the relatively low rate of abductions for the purpose of ransom which occur in the nation.

NEXT: What is Kidnapping?