---
kind: "section"
citation: "34 U.S.C. § 12261"
title: "34"
title_heading: "Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
number: "12261"
heading: "Authority of Attorney General"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/34/12261"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — Comprehensive Acts"
  - "Chapter 121 — Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
  - "Subchapter II — Crime Prevention"
  - "Part G — Family Unity Demonstration Project"
  - "Subpart 2 — family unity demonstration project for federal prisoners"
---

# §12261. Authority of Attorney General

- (a) **In general—** With the funds available to carry out this part for the benefit of Federal prisoners, the [Attorney General](/usc/34/10307.md?p=1), acting through the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, shall select eligible prisoners to live in community correctional facilities with their children.
- (b) **General contracting authority—** In implementing this part,[^1] the [Attorney General](/usc/34/10307.md?p=1) may enter into contracts with appropriate public or private agencies to provide housing, sustenance, [services](/usc/34/12291.md?p=a-51), and supervision of inmates eligible for placement in community correctional facilities under this part.[^1]
- (c) **Use of State facilities—** At the discretion of the [Attorney General](/usc/34/10307.md?p=1), Federal participants may be placed in [State](/usc/34/11103.md?p=7) projects as defined in subpart 1. For such participants, the [Attorney General](/usc/34/10307.md?p=1) shall, with funds available under section 13883(b)(2)[^1] of title 42, reimburse the [State](/usc/34/11103.md?p=7) for all project costs related to the Federal participant’s placement, including administrative costs.

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–322, title III, § 31921, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1896.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This part, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original “this title” and was translated as reading “this subtitle”, meaning subtitle S of title III of Pub. L. 103–322, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Section 13883 of title 42, referred to in subsec. (c), was omitted from the Code as obsolete.

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 13901 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.