Witness tampering is the act of attempting to improperly influence, alter, or prevent the testimony of witnesses within criminal or civil proceedings. It can take many forms, including intimidation, threats, misleading conduct, or corrupt persuasion. The goal of witness tampering is to get the witness to make a false statement or withhold testimony.
In the United States, the federal crime of witness tampering is defined by statute at 18 U.S.C. ยง 1512, which is entitled "tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant". The statute is broad and applies to tampering with witnesses in "proceedings before Congress, executive departments, and administrative agencies, and to civil and criminal judicial proceedings, including grand jury proceedings". Tampering with a witness is a serious federal criminal offense, and the penalties for violating the statute can be severe.
Witness tampering and reprisals against witnesses in organized crime cases have been a difficulty faced by prosecutors, and witness protection programs were one response to this problem. In some cases, withholding information from a law enforcement agency relevant to a criminal investigation or the abuse or neglect of a minor child can also be considered witness tampering.
