U.S. Department of Justice: Grants to Tribal Governments to Exercise Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction

The Tribal Jurisdiction Program provides support and technical assistance for planning and implementing changes in their criminal justice systems necessary to exercise special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction (SDVCJ) and funds to exercise the jurisdiction. The program encourages collaborations among tribal leadership, courts, prosecutors, attorneys, defenders, law enforcement, probation, victim services providers, and other partners to ensure that victims find safety and justice and that non-Indians who commit crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, and violations of protection orders in the Indian Country of the tribe are held accountable.

Tribal Jurisdiction Program grants may be used for the following purposes:

• To strengthen tribal criminal justice systems to assist Indian tribes in exercising SDVCJ, including: law enforcement; prosecution; trial and appellate courts; probation systems; detention and correctional facilities; alternative rehabilitation centers; culturally appropriate services and assistance for victims and their families; and criminal codes and rules of criminal procedure, appellate procedure, and evidence
• To provide indigent criminal defendants with the effective assistance of licensed defense counsel, at no cost to the defendant, in criminal proceedings in which a participating tribe prosecutes a crime of domestic violence or dating violence or a criminal violation of a protection order
• To ensure that, in criminal proceedings in which a participating tribe exercises SDVCJ, jurors are summoned, selected, and instructed in a manner consistent with all applicable requirements
• To accord victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and violations of protection orders rights that are similar to the rights of a crime victim that is consistent with tribal law and custom

Amount: A total of $4,000,000 is expected to be available to make up to 10 awards that range from $300,000-$450,000. The project period is for 36 months.

Eligibility: Indian tribal governments that have jurisdiction over Indian Country. “Indian tribal government” means a tribe, band, or other group of Indians subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and recognized as possessing powers of self-government. The term “Indian Country” means (a) all land within the limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the United States government; notwithstanding the issuance of any patent, and including rights-of-way running through the reservation, (b) all dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States whether within the original or subsequently acquired territory thereof, and whether within or without the limits of a state; and (c) all Indian allotments, the Indian titles to which have not been extinguished, including rights-of-way running through the same.

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=310659

This post was filed under: