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 Nevada, the criminal offense of lewdness with a child under the age of 14 is codified under NRS 201.230. This statute defines the crime as any lewd or lascivious act committed upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child under the age of 14, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust or passions or sexual desires of that person or the child. This includes touching a child's body or inducing the child to touch their own body, the offender's body, or someone else's body, regardless of whether the touching is done over clothing or on bare skin, and is done for sexual reasons. Nevada law also addresses the use of technology to commit lewd acts with a minor, such as engaging in inappropriate activities in online video chat rooms. The penalties for lewdness with a minor are severe and can include life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after a minimum term is served, depending on the specific circumstances and whether the offender has previous convictions for similar offenses.