Family Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act of 2025

Key Points

• If someone dies in federal custody, the agency must notify their emergency contact within 12 hours and between 6 a.m. and midnight, avoiding harsh middle-of-the-night calls, and must explain the cause and circumstances of death.
• Notification is also required for serious injuries or illness, including suicide attempts, unconsciousness, hospitalization, or a terminal diagnosis, so families learn quickly about a medical crisis.
• Notifications must be delivered compassionately by trained staff, followed by a written letter of condolence in the case of death, to reduce trauma for grieving families.
• Private companies and local jails that contract with the federal government to hold detainees must adopt these same notification procedures as a condition of their contracts.
• Providing emergency contact information stays voluntary; detention agencies cannot pressure, coerce, or penalize a person in custody for refusing to share it.