§ 40501. Program authorized

The Attorney General is authorized to provide grant awards to States to enable States to improve the reporting of unidentified and missing persons.

§ 40502. Eligibility

• (a) To be eligible to receive a grant award under this chapter, a State shall submit an application at such time and in such form as the Attorney General may reasonably require.
• (b) Each such application shall include assurances that the State shall, to the greatest extent possible—
  • (1) report to the National Crime Information Center and when possible, to law enforcement authorities throughout the State regarding every deceased unidentified person, regardless of age, found in the State’s jurisdiction;
  • (2) enter a complete profile of such unidentified person in compliance with the guidelines established by the Department of Justice for the National Crime Information Center Missing and Unidentified Persons File, including dental records, DNA records, x-rays, and fingerprints, if available;
  • (3) enter the National Crime Information Center number or other appropriate number assigned to the unidentified person on the death certificate of each such unidentified person; and
  • (4) retain all such records pertaining to unidentified persons until a person is identified.

§ 40503. Uses of funds

A State that receives a grant award under this chapter may use such funds received to establish or expand programs developed to improve the reporting of unidentified persons in accordance with the assurances provided in the application submitted pursuant to section 40502(b) of this title .

§ 40504. Grants for the assistance of organizations to find missing adults

• (a) The Attorney General may make grants to public agencies or nonprofit private organizations, or combinations thereof, for programs—
  • (1) to assist law enforcement and families in locating missing adults;
  • (2) to maintain a national, interconnected database for the purpose of tracking missing adults who are determined by law enforcement to be endangered due to age, diminished mental capacity, or the circumstances of disappearance, when foul play is suspected or circumstances are unknown;
  • (3) to maintain statistical information of adults reported as missing;
  • (4) to provide informational resources and referrals to families of missing adults;
  • (5) to assist in public notification and victim advocacy related to missing adults; and
  • (6) to establish and maintain a national clearinghouse for missing adults.
• (b) The Attorney General may make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out this title. 1 1 See References in Text note below.