---
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"
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](/usc/34/10105.md) for the purpose of enhancing the ability of prosecutors to effectively represent the public in [State](/usc/34/10105.md) 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](/usc/34/10105.md) and local prosecutors to ensure effective representation in [State](/usc/34/10105.md) capital cases.
    - (B) To develop and implement appropriate standards and qualifications for [State](/usc/34/10105.md) and local prosecutors who litigate [State](/usc/34/10105.md) capital cases.
    - (C) To assess the performance of [State](/usc/34/10105.md) and local prosecutors who litigate [State](/usc/34/10105.md) 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](/usc/34/10105.md) 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 victims.
  - (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.