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 Arizona, the criminal offense of lewd acts with a minor is addressed under Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) §13-1410, which defines the crime of 'molestation of a child.' This statute makes it unlawful for a person to intentionally or knowingly engage in or cause a person to engage in sexual contact, excluding acts of natural functions, with a child who is under fifteen years of age. Sexual contact is defined as any direct or indirect touching, fondling, or manipulating of any part of the genitals, anus, or female breast by any part of the body or by any object or causing a person to engage in such contact. The law does not require that the touching occur on bare skin or through clothing; it can be either. Additionally, ARS §13-1405 addresses 'sexual conduct with a minor,' which is committed when a person knowingly engages in sexual intercourse or oral sexual contact with any person who is under eighteen years of age. The severity of the charges and penalties can vary based on the age of the minor and the age difference between the offender and the minor. Arizona law also criminalizes indecent exposure and public sexual indecency when committed in the presence of a minor under ARS §13-1402 and §13-1403, respectively. These statutes cover a broader range of lewd behavior, potentially including the act of causing or forcing a child to witness sex acts.