§2442 Recruitment or use of child soldiers

Summary

It makes it a federal crime to knowingly recruit, enlist, or force anyone under 15 to join an armed force or group, or to use a person under 15 to take an active part in fighting. Anyone who does this, or who tries or plans to do it, can be fined and/or sent to prison for up to 20 years. If someone dies because of the crime, the person can be fined and sent to prison for any number of years or for life. The United States can prosecute this if the offender is a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, a stateless person who usually lives in the U.S., if the offender is in the U.S., or if the crime happens in whole or part in the U.S. "Participate actively in hostilities" means taking part in combat or combat-related tasks or directly supporting combat, like moving supplies. "Armed force or group" means any military organization, official or not, but not a group formed only for peaceful political activity.