# Justice Manual § 9-60.700: Hostage Taking (18 U.S.C. § 1203)—Prosecution Policy

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.700

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-60.700
- **Heading:** Hostage Taking (18 U.S.C. § 1203)—Prosecution Policy
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-60.000 - Protection Of The Individual / Justice Manual § 9-60.700

## Text

It is the view of the Department of Justice that most hostage taking matters that arise within the United States are best handled by State and local authorities. However, there may at times be situations in which Federal involvement is appropriate (e.g., if the hostage is a Federal official or an international guest, the party against whom a demand is made is the United States, the perpetrators are international terrorists, etc.). Because of the strong preference for State and local handling of hostage taking matters within the United States, attorneys for the government should discuss a proposed prosecution with the Criminal Division prior to its initiation. In cases of hostage taking outside the United States, other factors, such as legal issues regarding the exercise of extraterritorial jurisdiction, foreign policy considerations, and costs, are involved. Therefore, in cases involving an assertion of extraterritorial jurisdiction, it is mandatory that attorneys for the government seek approval from the Criminal Division prior to the initiation of a proposed prosecution. See
JM 9-2.136
.

Investigative jurisdiction on hostage taking matters is with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Counterterrorism Section (CTS) of the National Security Division has supervisory authority.

[updated January 2020]

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-60.010 Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.010.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.020 Sentencing Enhancement—"Three Strikes" Law](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.020.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.111 Kidnapping/Missing Persons—Prosecution Policy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.111.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.113 Prosecution Policy—"Deprogramming" of Religious Sect Members](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.113.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.200 Criminal Sanctions Against Illegal Electronic Surveillance](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.200.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.202 Illegal Electronic Eavesdropping—Prosecution Policy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.202.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.203 State Laws](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.203.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.262 Prosecutive Policy—18 U.S.C. § 2512](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.262.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.400 Criminal Sanctions Against Illegal Electronic Surveillance—The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), 50 U.S.C. §  1809](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.400.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.700 Hostage Taking (18 U.S.C. §  1203)—Prosecution Policy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.700.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.711 Prosecution Policy in Hostage Taking Cases When the Death Penalty is Authorized by Statute](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.711.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.800 Special Forfeiture of Collateral Profits of Crime ("Son of Sam")](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.800.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.900 Murder-for-Hire—18 U.S.C. §  1958](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.900.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.910 Prosecution Policy and the Death Penalty](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.910.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.700. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.