Legal Definitions - crimping

Crimping refers to a historical legal offense involving the deceptive luring and unlawful confinement of individuals with the specific intent of forcing them into military or naval service. It describes the act of tricking someone into a situation where they are then held against their will, solely for the purpose of compelling them to join the armed forces.

Here are some examples to illustrate this historical term:

• Imagine a bustling port city in the 18th century. A man known as a "crimp" approaches a young, unemployed sailor in a tavern, promising him a lucrative position on a merchant vessel bound for exotic lands. After the sailor accepts and shares a celebratory drink, he falls unconscious. He awakens to find himself aboard a warship, already far out at sea, with no option but to serve in the navy. This scenario demonstrates crimping because the sailor was decoyed with a false job offer, then confined (drugged and taken against his will), and ultimately forced into military service.

• During a period of intense warfare, a group of agents, acting as crimps, targets impoverished young men in a rural village. They offer these men what appears to be a generous contract for agricultural work on a distant, wealthy estate. The men are transported by carriage, but instead of arriving at the estate, they are delivered directly to a military recruitment office where they are immediately processed, their civilian clothes confiscated, and their enlistment papers presented for signature under duress. This is an example of crimping as the men were deceptively lured with a job offer, then unlawfully confined by being taken to a military facility against their will, and subsequently forced into military service.

• Consider a situation in a large city where a "crimp gang" operates. They invite vulnerable individuals, perhaps recent immigrants or those without local connections, to what they advertise as a social gathering offering food and shelter. Once inside a secluded building, the doors are locked, and the individuals are informed they will not be released until they agree to sign enlistment papers for the army, with implied threats of harsh consequences if they refuse. This illustrates crimping because the individuals were decoyed by the promise of a social event, then subjected to unlawful confinement, and ultimately coerced with the intent to force them into military service.