---
kind: "section"
citation: "34 U.S.C. § 60302"
title: "34"
title_heading: "Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
number: "60302"
heading: "Capital prosecution improvement grants"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/34/60302"
units:
  - "Subtitle VI — Other Crime Control and Law Enforcement Matters"
  - "Chapter 603 — Improving the Quality of Representation in State Capital Cases"
---

# §60302. Capital prosecution improvement grants

- (a) **In general—** The Attorney General shall award grants to States for the purpose of enhancing the ability of prosecutors to effectively represent the public in State capital cases.
- (b) **Use of funds—**
  - (1) **Permitted uses—** Grants awarded under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be used for one or more of the following:
    - (A) To design and implement training [programs](/usc/34/60701.md?p=2) for State and local prosecutors to ensure effective representation in State capital cases.
    - (B) To develop and implement appropriate standards and qualifications for State and local prosecutors who litigate State capital cases.
    - (C) To assess the performance of State and local prosecutors who litigate State capital cases, provided that such assessment shall not include participation by the assessor in the trial of any specific capital case.
    - (D) To identify and implement any potential legal reforms that may be appropriate to minimize the potential for error in the trial of capital cases.
    - (E) To establish a [program](/usc/34/60701.md?p=2) under which State and local prosecutors conduct a systematic review of cases in which a death sentence was imposed in order to identify cases in which post-conviction DNA testing may be appropriate.
    - (F) To provide support and assistance to the families of [murder](/usc/34/60911.md?p=4) [victims](/usc/34/60911.md?p=3).
  - (2) **Prohibited use—** Grants awarded under [subsection (a)](#a) shall not be used to fund, directly or indirectly, the prosecution of specific capital cases.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 108–405, title IV, § 422, Oct. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2288.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 14163a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.