---
kind: "section"
citation: "34 U.S.C. § 21701"
title: "34"
title_heading: "Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
number: "21701"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/34/21701"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Protection of Children and Other Persons"
  - "Chapter 217 — Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution"
---

# §21701. Definitions


In this chapter—

- (1) the terms “abuse”, “adult protective services”, “elder”, “elder justice”, “exploitation”, “law enforcement”, and “neglect” have the meanings given those terms in [section 1397j of title 42](/usc/42/1397j.md);
- (2) the term “elder abuse” includes [abuse](#1), [neglect](#1), and [exploitation](#1) of an [elder](#1); and
- (3) the term “State” means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any other territory or possession of the United States.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 115–70, § 2, Oct. 18, 2017, 131 Stat. 1208.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 115–70, Oct. 18, 2017, 131 Stat. 1208, known as the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 2017 Amendment note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables.