---
kind: "section"
citation: "34 U.S.C. § 60553"
title: "34"
title_heading: "Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
number: "60553"
heading: "Addressing the needs of children of incarcerated parents"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/34/60553"
units:
  - "Subtitle VI — Other Crime Control and Law Enforcement Matters"
  - "Chapter 605 — Recidivism Prevention"
  - "Subchapter II — Enhanced Drug Treatment and Mentoring Grant Programs"
  - "Part C — Administration of Justice Reforms"
  - "Subpart 2 — reentry research"
---

# §60553. Addressing the needs of children of incarcerated parents

- (a) **Best practices—**
  - (1) **In general—** From amounts made available to carry out this section, the Attorney General may collect data and develop best practices of State corrections departments and child protection [agencies](/usc/34/60911.md?p=5) relating to the communication and coordination between such State departments and [agencies](/usc/34/60911.md?p=5) to ensure the safety and support of children of incarcerated parents (including those in foster care and kinship care), and the support of parent-child relationships between incarcerated (and formerly incarcerated) parents and their children, as appropriate to the health and well-being of the children.
  - (2) **Contents—** The best practices developed under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) shall include information related to policies, procedures, and [programs](/usc/34/60701.md?p=2) that may be used by States to address—
    - (A) maintenance of the parent-child bond during incarceration;
    - (B) parental self-improvement; and
    - (C) parental involvement in planning for the future and well-being of their children.
- (b) **Dissemination to States—** Not later than 1 year after the development of best practices described in [subsection (a)](#a), the Attorney General shall disseminate to States and other relevant entities such best practices.
- (c) **Sense of Congress—** It is the sense of Congress that States and other relevant entities should use the best practices developed and disseminated in accordance with this section to evaluate and improve the communication and coordination between State corrections departments and child protection [agencies](/usc/34/60911.md?p=5) to ensure the safety and support of children of incarcerated parents (including those in foster care and kinship care), and the support of parent-child relationships between incarcerated (and formerly incarcerated) parents and their children, as appropriate to the health and well-being of the children.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–199, title II, § 243, Apr. 9, 2008, 122 Stat. 691.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 17553 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.