Rep. Barry Moore has introduced the Family Notification of Death in Custody Act. The bill, presented with representatives Sydney Kamlager-Dove, John Rutherford, and Glenn Ivey, seeks to establish a requirement for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to notify families of inmates who die, experience serious illness, or sustain injuries while in custody. Senators Jon Ossoff and John Kennedy introduced a companion bill in the Senate.
The legislation mandates the creation of policies and procedures for such notifications. Additionally, it instructs the Attorney General to develop and share model policies with state and local detention facilities.
Moore commented on the need for the bill: “Families deserve to be informed when their loved one has died, has a serious illness, or sustains an injury while in custody. In FY21 alone, the Department of Justice failed to identify at least 990 prison and arrest related deaths,” emphasizing that the bill is “a step toward transparency and accountability.”
