Which statement describes 18 U.S.C. § 242?

• A. Punishes the act itself
• B. Requires the officer to be acting under color of law
• C. Punishes conspiracy
• D. Applies only to private citizens

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that 18 U.S.C. § 242 criminalizes the willful deprivation of rights by someone acting under color of law. That means a person in a position of official authority (or appearing to have such authority) uses that power to deprive someone of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The important part is the use of official power—“under color of law”—to commit the deprivation.

This is why the statement about acting under color of law is the best answer: if there’s no official authority or pretended authority involved, the conduct isn’t punished under this statute. The law focuses on the abuse of power by someone in a government-like role rather than on the act itself in isolation. It also doesn’t cover conspiracies—that’s addressed by a separate statute—nor does it apply solely to private citizens. For example, a police officer who willfully deprives a person of their rights while acting in an official capacity violates §242; a private citizen who harms someone without any official authority does not.