---
kind: "section"
citation: "34 U.S.C. § 12571"
title: "34"
title_heading: "Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
number: "12571"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/34/12571"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — Comprehensive Acts"
  - "Chapter 121 — Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
  - "Subchapter VII — Police Corps and Law Enforcement Officers Training and Education"
  - "Part B — Law Enforcement Scholarship Program"
---

# §12571. Definitions


In this part—

“Director” means the Director of the Office of the Police Corps and [Law Enforcement](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-23) Education appointed under [section 12553](/usc/34/12553.md)[^1] of this title.

“educational expenses” means expenses that are directly attributable to—

(A) a course of education leading to the award of an associate degree;

(B) a course of education leading to the award of a baccalaureate degree; or

(C) a course of graduate study following award of a baccalaureate degree,

including the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies, and related expenses.

“institution of higher education” has the meaning stated in the first sentence of [section 1001 of title 20](/usc/20/1001.md).

“[law enforcement](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-23) position” means employment as an officer in a [State](/usc/34/11103.md?p=7) or local police force, or correctional institution.

“[State](/usc/34/11103.md?p=7)” means a [State](/usc/34/11103.md?p=7) of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.


## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Section 12553 of this title does not provide for the appointment of a Director.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–322, title XX, § 200202, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2057; Pub. L. 105–244, title I, § 102(a)(13)(P), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1621.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 14111 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

### Amendments

1998—Pub. L. 105–244 substituted “section 1001” for “section 1141(a)” in par. defining “institution of higher education”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 105–244 effective Oct. 1, 1998, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 105–244, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105–244, set out as a note under section 1001 of Title 20, Education.

### Short Title

For short title of subtitle B of title XX of Pub. L. 103–322, which is classified to this part, as the “Law Enforcement Scholarships and Recruitment Act”, see section 200201 of Pub. L. 103–322, set out as a Short Title of 1994 Act note under section 10101 of this title.