The criminal offense of lewd acts with a minor, or lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, is generally committed when (1) the offender touches the child’s body or gets the child to touch the child’s body, the offender’s body, or someone else; (2) the touching occurs on bare skin or through clothing; (3) the touching was for sexual reasons; and (4) the child was under 14 years of age.

Laws regarding lewd acts with a minor vary from state to state, including the required age of the child and the required elements of the criminal offense. And some states classify the criminal offense of lewd acts with minor as the criminal offense of indecency with a minor, or lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child, or a similar offense.

Some states have expanded the definition of these laws to include looking at the body or private parts of a child in a sexual manner, or causing or forcing a child to witness sex acts in the presence of the child. These states prosecute persons who engage in such activity in online video chat rooms for this criminal offense.

The criminal offense of lewd acts with a minor (or similar offense) is generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Alabama, the criminal offense of lewd acts with a minor is addressed under the state's sexual abuse and child molestation laws. Specifically, Alabama Code Section 13A-6-69.1 defines the crime of Sexual Abuse of a Child Less Than 12 Years Old, which includes subjecting a child under the age of 12 to sexual contact. 'Sexual contact' is broadly defined and can include touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a child, whether over or under clothing, for the purpose of gratifying the sexual desire of either party. Additionally, Alabama Code Section 13A-6-67 defines the crime of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, which applies to sexual contact with a minor who is 12 years old or older but younger than 16 when the offender is at least 16 years old and at least two years older than the victim. The state may also prosecute individuals who engage in lewd acts with minors through electronic means under its laws prohibiting electronic solicitation of a child (Alabama Code Section 13A-6-110) and transmitting obscene material to a child (Alabama Code Section 13A-6-111). These statutes reflect Alabama's commitment to protecting minors from sexual exploitation and abuse.