To amend title 18, United States Code, to divert certain parents of minor children, expectant parents, and other caregivers from incarceration and into comprehensive programs providing resources, services, and training to those individuals and their families.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · November 9, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
The FAMILIES Act creates a new sentencing alternative for parents, expectant parents, and caregivers convicted of federal crimes. Instead of sending these individuals to prison or probation, federal judges would have the option to sentence them to participate in a comprehensive community-based program that provides education, job training, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, parenting support, and assistance accessing benefits like food stamps and housing. The bill requires judges to consider factors like caregiving responsibilities, community ties, and family impact before deciding whether diversion is appropriate, and mandates they receive training on trauma-informed decision-making and child development. The program includes protections such as prohibiting financial penalties that would undermine program success and allowing people under 21 to have their records expunged if they complete the program successfully. The legislation appropriates $100 million for fiscal year 2024 to establish and operate the federal program, $20 million in grants to states to replicate similar programs, and $5 million for judge training, with additional funding for research studies on program outcomes and effects of parental incarceration on children.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.