- Kidnapper redirects here. For the song by American band Blondie, see Kidnapper (song).
Kidnapping, a word derived from kid = 'child' and nap(nab) = 'snatch', recorded since 1673, originally meant stealing children for use as servants or laborers in the American colonies.
Definition
It has come to mean any
illegal capture or detention of persons against their will, regardless of age, as for
ransom; since 1768 the term
abduction was also used in this sense.
Another case is when two countries are at war: enemy soldiers may be captured in another country and detained as
prisoners of war under the law of the capturer's state, and suspected
war criminals and those suspected of
genocide or
crimes against humanity may be arrested.
- Although the victims are usually called hostages, this term also applies to legal hostage-taking, commonly practiced by governments in the past.
Scope of application in the United States
In
criminal law,
kidnapping is the taking away or
asportation of a person against the person's will, usually to hold the person in
false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority. This is often done for ransom or in furtherance of another crime. A majority of jurisdictions in the United States retain the "asportation" element for kidnapping, where the victim must be confined in a bounded area against their will and moved. Any amount of movement will suffice for the requirement, even if it is moving the abductee to a house next door. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, however, the asportation element has been abolished. Note that under early English
common law, the asportation element required that the victim be moved outside the realm of England or overseas in order for an abduction to be considered "kidnapping."
Kidnapping for ransom is almost nonexistent in the United States today, due in great part to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's aggressive stance toward kidnapping. The Bureau made kidnap for ransom a special priority, and continues to do so today. It pursues kidnap cases ferociously, as FBI agents who have rescued kidnap victims have been known to describe the rescue as a personal high point of a career.
More on
[ Kidnapping ]
Lost or Missing :: People
kidnapping - Twitter Search@Sweet_Carile - Wait, and why do I need a lock and key? KIDNAPPING JK, I didn't wanna resort to violence.. TOO MUCH HISTORY!Baker_Jimel13 (Kelsey Ann Baker) Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:52:16 -0000
@Sweet_Carile - Wait, and why do I need a lock and key? KIDNAPPING JK, I didn't wanna resort to violence.. TOO MUCH HISTORY!
@suhasinih One day someone will do a kidnapping or a hyjack and ask for kasab to be released while we keep hankering aftr Hafeez. Hang Kasabmercuryman3a (Jonam Ihtapirt) Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:51:23 -0000
@suhasinih One day someone will do a kidnapping or a hyjack and ask for kasab to be released while we keep hankering aftr Hafeez. Hang Kasab
Postal Inspectors served federal search warrant in Taft, CA in connection with driver robbery/kidnapping investigation http://bit.ly/30QwhCUSPIS_LA (USPIS_LA) Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:34:06 -0000
Postal Inspectors served federal search warrant in Taft, CA in connection with driver robbery/kidnapping investigation http://bit.ly/30QwhC
2 men guilty of kidnapping, raping girl - MyFoxOrlando.com: 2 men guilty of kidnapping, raping girlMyFoxOrlando.. http://bit.ly/1eNoYBrapist (rapist) Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:21:02 -0000
2 men guilty of kidnapping, raping girl - MyFoxOrlando.com: 2 men guilty of kidnapping, raping girlMyFoxOrlando.. http://bit.ly/1eNoYB
Kidnapping suspects apprehended after chase - Chicago Breaking News: http://bit.ly/2tHG8c via @addthisArmedCitizens (Chicago Guns) Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:17:33 -0000
Kidnapping suspects apprehended after chase - Chicago Breaking News: http://bit.ly/2tHG8c via @addthis
KCK Man Charged with Kidnapping, Gun Charges http://easyuri.com/40192knssradio (KNSS Radio) Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:03:37 -0000
KCK Man Charged with Kidnapping, Gun Charges http://easyuri.com/40192
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FBI - Kidnapping and Missing Persons Investigations - Presents pictures, descriptions, and details about the cases.
Meta Description: [ Information about the Federal Bureau of Investigation's efforts to locate fugitives and missing persons ]
Kidnapped - Suggests methods and tips to avoid becoming a victim.
Meta Description: [ Surviving a Kidnapping by Duncan Long ]