Title 18 of the United States Code is the federal criminal code. It defines nearly every federal crime, sets the penalties, and lays out the rules that govern a case from arrest through imprisonment. Its authority traces to constitutional provisions like the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause, which let Congress criminalize conduct that crosses state lines, occurs on federal property, or threatens the federal government’s ability to function. The code is organized into five parts and thousands of sections, and it covers material as varied as bank robbery, wire fraud, cybercrime, sentencing, prison management, and witness immunity.
How Title 18 Is Organized
The code is divided into five parts, numbered sequentially but not continuously from Section 1 through Section 6005.
- Part I — Crimes (§§ 1–2725). Defines federal offenses and their penalties. This is the largest part and the one most people encounter when they are charged with a federal crime.
- Part II — Criminal Procedure (§§ 3001–3772). The rules for handling federal criminal cases, from arrest and grand jury proceedings through trial, sentencing, and appeal.
- Part III — Prisons and Prisoners (§§ 4001–4353). Governs the federal prison system, including the Bureau of Prisons, inmate employment, sentence credits, and transfers of offenders to foreign countries.
- Part IV — Correction of Youthful Offenders (§§ 5001–5043). Specialized rules for younger individuals in the federal justice system.
- Part V — Immunity of Witnesses (§§ 6001–6005). Compelled testimony and the legal protections available to witnesses during investigations.
Each part is subdivided into chapters that group related statutes by topic. Part I alone contains more than 80 chapters, and the numbering includes lettered sub-chapters such as Chapter 113B on terrorism. You can’t count from Chapter 1 to the last number and know how many chapters exist. The code is built for reference lookups, not cover-to-cover reading.
Where Federal Jurisdiction Comes From
Federal criminal law doesn’t cover every crime. Most criminal prosecutions happen in state courts, and Title 18 reaches only the conduct the Constitution authorizes the federal government to regulate. The broadest source of that authority is the Commerce Clause, which lets Congress criminalize activity that crosses state lines or affects interstate trade. That’s why federal charges so often involve wire transfers, internet communications, or goods shipped between states.
Federal jurisdiction also extends to crimes committed on federal property such as military bases, national parks, and government buildings, and to crimes against federal officers or federal programs. The Necessary and Proper Clause gives Congress room to pass criminal laws that protect the functioning of the federal government itself. Tax fraud, counterfeiting, and obstruction of justice fall into that category.
Major Federal Crimes in Part I
Part I is the heart of Title 18. A handful of chapters generate most federal prosecutions.
Conspiracy
Chapter 19 covers conspiracy, one of the most commonly charged federal offenses. Under Section 371, if two or more people agree to commit a federal crime and at least one takes a concrete step toward carrying it out, each participant faces up to five years in prison. If the underlying crime is a misdemeanor, the conspiracy penalty can’t exceed that misdemeanor’s maximum.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 371 – Conspiracy to Commit Offense or to Defraud United States Prosecutors use conspiracy charges to reach people who helped plan or facilitate a crime without personally committing it.
Fraud
Fraud offenses are scattered across the code, but two chapters dominate. Chapter 47 targets fraud and false statements aimed at the federal government, including lies on federal forms and bogus claims. Chapter 63 handles mail fraud and wire fraud, the workhorses of white-collar prosecution. Mail fraud under Section 1341 carries up to 20 years, rising to 30 years and a $1,000,000 fine if the scheme targets a financial institution or involves benefits tied to a presidentially declared disaster or emergency.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 1341 – Frauds and Swindles
Bank Robbery
Section 2113 makes it a federal crime to rob any bank, credit union, or savings institution. A straightforward bank robbery carries up to 20 years. If the robber uses a dangerous weapon or assaults someone, the maximum rises to 25 years.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 2113 – Bank Robbery and Incidental Crimes When someone is killed during the robbery, or the robbery involves kidnapping, the penalty can reach life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Racketeering and Organized Crime
Chapter 96 contains the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO. It makes it illegal to run an organization through a pattern of criminal activity and is the primary federal tool against organized networks that engage in repeated offenses such as extortion, drug trafficking, and fraud.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC Chapter 96 – Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations
Cybercrime
The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, at Section 1030, is the main federal cybercrime statute. It prohibits unauthorized computer access, computer trespassing for espionage, using a computer to commit fraud, damaging systems through malware or denial-of-service attacks, and trafficking in stolen passwords. A first espionage-related offense carries up to 10 years, and a repeat conviction doubles that to 20. Computer fraud offenses generally carry up to 5 years for a first offense and 10 for a second.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 1030 – Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Computers
Firearms Offenses
Section 922(g) makes it a federal crime for certain people to possess, ship, or receive firearms or ammunition. The prohibited categories include anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, fugitives, unlawful users of controlled substances, people adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to a mental institution, certain noncitizens, anyone dishonorably discharged from the military, people who have renounced U.S. citizenship, individuals subject to certain domestic violence restraining orders, and anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts In fiscal year 2024, over 90% of people charged under this section were prohibited because of a prior felony conviction. A defendant with three prior convictions for a violent felony or serious drug offense triggers a 15-year mandatory minimum under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
How Federal Cases Move Through Court
Part II sets the mechanics of a federal criminal case. It isn’t about the charges themselves. It’s about how they move.
The Speedy Trial Act
Chapter 208 contains the Speedy Trial Act, which requires that a federal trial begin within 70 days of the indictment or the defendant’s first appearance before a judge, whichever comes later.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 3161 – Time Limits and Exclusions Certain delays are excluded from the count, including time spent on pretrial motions and competency evaluations. If the government misses the deadline without a valid exclusion, the defendant can move to dismiss.
Court-Appointed Counsel
Section 3006A, the Criminal Justice Act, guarantees legal representation to anyone financially unable to hire a lawyer. A magistrate judge evaluates the defendant’s finances and appoints counsel if the person qualifies. Appointment is automatic for felony charges, Class A misdemeanors, juvenile delinquency proceedings, and probation or supervised release violations, among other categories. For less serious misdemeanors and certain post-conviction challenges, the court can appoint counsel when the interests of justice require it.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 3006A – Adequate Representation of Defendants If a defendant’s finances later improve, the court can end the appointment or require partial payment.
Part II also governs grand jury proceedings, arrest procedures, rewards for information leading to arrests, and the timeframes for appeals and post-trial motions.
Sentencing and Supervised Release
When a defendant is convicted, the judge doesn’t pick a number out of thin air. Section 3553(a) requires courts to impose a sentence that is “sufficient, but not greater than necessary” to achieve the purposes of sentencing. Judges must weigh the nature of the offense and the defendant’s personal history, the seriousness of the crime, the need to deter future criminal conduct, protection of the public, the defendant’s need for education or medical treatment, the applicable sentencing guidelines, the goal of avoiding unwarranted disparities between similar defendants, and restitution to victims.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3553 – Imposition of a Sentence
Most federal sentences include a term of supervised release, which works like federal probation served after the prison term ends. Section 3583 caps the length based on the severity of the original offense: up to five years for the most serious felonies (Class A and B), up to three years for mid-level felonies (Class C and D), and up to one year for low-level felonies and misdemeanors.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3583 – Inclusion of a Term of Supervised Release After Imprisonment During supervised release, a person must avoid new crimes, submit to drug testing, pay any ordered restitution, and comply with whatever additional conditions the court sets. Violations can send someone back to prison.
Time Limits and Victims’ Rights
The government can’t wait forever to bring charges. Section 3282 sets a general five-year statute of limitations for non-capital federal offenses. If no indictment is filed within five years, the government loses the case.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3282 – Offenses Not Capital Some crimes have longer windows written into their own statutes, including certain terrorism and financial fraud offenses. Capital offenses have no statute of limitations.
Section 3771, the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, gives victims of federal crimes a set of enforceable rights: reasonable protection from the accused, timely notice of court proceedings and any release or escape, the right to attend public proceedings, the right to speak at release and sentencing hearings, and the right to full and timely restitution. Victims also have the right to be informed of any plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement and to confer with the government’s attorney.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 3771 – Crime Victims Rights Victims can assert these rights in court.
Forfeiture and Restitution
Section 981 lets the federal government seize property connected to certain crimes through a civil proceeding, without a criminal conviction. Property is subject to forfeiture if it was involved in or traceable to offenses like money laundering, drug trafficking, financial fraud, mail or wire fraud, motor vehicle theft crimes, and terrorism.13Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 981 – Civil Forfeiture
Section 3663A requires courts to order restitution whenever an identifiable victim has suffered physical injury or financial loss from a crime of violence, a property offense, consumer product tampering, or theft of medical products. The restitution goes to victims, not the government.14Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3663A – Mandatory Restitution to Victims of Certain Crimes The only exception is when the number of victims is so large that calculating individual losses would unreasonably delay sentencing, and courts read that exception narrowly.
Federal Prisons, Good Time, and Compassionate Release
Part III governs what happens after sentencing. Chapter 303 establishes the Bureau of Prisons and gives it authority over federal inmates. These statutes set requirements for how facilities operate, how medical needs are addressed, and what work programs are available.
Good Conduct Time and Earned Time Credits
Section 3624 lets prisoners serving more than one year (other than life sentences) earn up to 54 days of good conduct credit per year of their court-imposed sentence. The Bureau of Prisons decides whether the prisoner showed exemplary compliance with institutional rules during the year; if not, the credit is reduced or denied.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3624 – Release of a Prisoner
The First Step Act of 2018 added a separate system of earned time credits under Section 3632. Eligible prisoners earn 10 days of credit for every 30 days of successful participation in recidivism-reduction programs or productive activities. Prisoners assessed as minimum or low risk who hold that classification across two consecutive assessments earn an extra 5 days per 30-day period. These credits go toward earlier transfer to prerelease custody or supervised release rather than shortening the prison term itself.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3632 – Development of Risk and Needs Assessment System
Compassionate Release
Section 3582(c)(1)(A) allows courts to reduce a prison sentence when “extraordinary and compelling reasons” justify it. The Bureau of Prisons can file the motion, or the prisoner can file directly after exhausting administrative appeals or waiting 30 days from the date the warden received the request, whichever comes first.17Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3582 – Imposition of a Sentence of Imprisonment A separate provision applies to prisoners at least 70 years old who have served 30 years or more. In either case, the court must weigh the standard sentencing factors and ensure the reduction is consistent with Sentencing Commission policy statements.
For terminally ill prisoners, the statute imposes stricter timelines. The Bureau of Prisons must notify the prisoner’s attorney and family within 72 hours of a terminal diagnosis, allow family visits within 7 days, help draft the reduction request, and process it within 14 days of receipt.