Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1581 Peonage; Obstructing Enforcement
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 77 — PEONAGE, SLAVERY, AND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS › § 1581
Summary
Makes it a crime to force someone into peonage—being made to work under compulsion or to pay off a debt—or to arrest someone intending to do that. Conviction can bring a fine and up to 20 years in prison. If the act causes death or includes kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, the penalty can be any term of years or life and a fine. Anyone who blocks or tries to block enforcement of this law faces the same penalties.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1581
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Whoever holds or returns any person to a condition of peonage, or arrests any person with the intent of placing him in or returning him to a condition of peonage, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. If death results from the violation of this section, or if the violation includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or the attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, the defendant shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or life, or both.
(b)Whoever obstructs, or attempts to obstruct, or in any way interferes with or prevents the enforcement of this section, shall be liable to the penalties prescribed in subsection (a).
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 444, 445 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §§ 269, 270, 35 Stat. 1142). Section consolidates section 444 and 445 of said title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., with changes in phraseology to amplify and clarify their provisions. Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as unnecessary in view of definition of “principal” in section 2 of this title.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2000—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–386 substituted “20 years” for “10 years” and inserted at end “If death results from the violation of this section, or if the violation includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or the attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, the defendant shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or life, or both.” 1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–208 substituted “10 years” for “five years”. 1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1996 Amendment Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title II, § 218(d), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–574, provided that: “This section [amending this section and section 1583, 1584, and 1588 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 994 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure] and the
Amendments
made by this section shall apply with respect to offenses occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 30, 1996].”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1581
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102