Kidnapping, a word derived from kid, meaning child and nap (nab) meaning snatch, recorded since 1673, was originally used as a term for the practice of stealing children for use as servants or laborers in the American colonies.[LINK: http://etymonline.com/?term=kidnap] Etymology of 'kidnap' It has come to mean any illegal capture or detention of a person or people against their will, regardless of age. Since 1768 the term abduction was also used in this sense. Scope of application in the United States In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or asportation of a person against the person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority. This is often done for ransom or in furtherance of another crime. A majority of jurisdictions in the United States retain the "asportation" element for kidnapping, where th

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