To establish Federal policies and procedures to notify the next-of-kin or other emergency contact upon the death, or serious illness or serious injury, of an individual in Federal custody, to provide model policies for States, units of local government, and Indian Tribes to implement and enforce similar policies and procedures, and for other purposes.
The Family Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act of 2024 would establish federal standards for notifying families when someone dies or suffers serious illness or injury while in police or correctional custody. The bill requires the Attorney General to implement notification procedures for federal detention agencies within one year and develop model policies for states, local governments, and Native American tribes to adopt. Under the law, detention agencies must collect emergency contact information when someone is taken into custody, notify next-of-kin of deaths within 12 hours and serious illnesses or injuries within 48 hours, provide details about what happened, and handle remains and belongings with specific procedures. The bill also requires agencies to keep records of all notification attempts and, if autopsies are performed, notify families within 12 hours and provide autopsy results. The legislation includes provisions for compassionate notification practices and establishes a Department of Justice ombudsman to investigate complaints about failures to notify families. No specific federal funding is authorized in the bill, but it directs the Attorney General to provide training and outreach to help other jurisdictions implement the policies.
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