---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 3673"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "3673"
heading: "Definitions for sentencing provisions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/3673"
units:
  - "Part II — Criminal Procedure"
  - "Chapter 232 — Miscellaneous Sentencing Provisions"
---

# §3673. Definitions for sentencing provisions


As used in chapters [227](/usc/18/chptII/ch227.md) and [229](/usc/18/chptII/ch229.md)—

- (1) the term “found guilty” includes acceptance by a court of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere;
- (2) the term “commission of an offense” includes the attempted commission of an offense, the consummation of an [offense](/usc/18/3156.md?p=a-2), and any immediate flight after the commission of an offense; and
- (3) the term “law enforcement officer” means a public servant authorized by law or by a government agency to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of an [offense](/usc/18/3156.md?p=a-2).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 212(a)(4), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2010; amended Pub. L. 99–646, § 2(a), Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3592.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1986—Pub. L. 99–646 redesignated pars. (a) to (c) as (1) to (3), respectively, and inserted “the term” after “(1)”, “(2)”, and “(3)”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–646, § 2(b), Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3592, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the taking effect of section 3673 of title 18, United States Code [Nov. 1, 1987].”

### Effective Date

Section effective Nov. 1, 1987, and applicable only to offenses committed after the taking effect of this section, see section 235(a)(1) of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as a note under section 3551 of this title.