Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: minor crime
Term: Kidnapping
Definition: Kidnapping is when someone takes another person and doesn't let them go. This is against the law. Sometimes, the kidnapper hurts the person they take or asks for money to let them go. This makes the crime even worse. Abduction is a similar crime, but it doesn't always involve force or threats.
Definition: Kidnapping is a crime where someone is taken and held against their will by force or threat of force, often to be taken to another location or hidden away. In some places, if the kidnapper hurts the victim, sexually assaults them, or demands money in exchange for their release, the crime is considered more serious and is called first-degree or aggravated kidnapping. Although the words "kidnapping" and "abduction" are sometimes used interchangeably, abduction is a broader term that doesn't always involve force.
Examples:
These examples illustrate how kidnapping involves taking someone against their will and holding them somewhere they don't want to be. It can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, or background.