OVW FY 2017 Grants to Tribal Governments to Exercise Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction

Indian Country is located. On March 7, 2013, VAWA 2013 was signed into law and included an historic provision recognizing the authority of participating tribes to exercise “special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction” (SDVCJ) over certain defendants, regardless of their Indian or non-Indian status, who commit crimes of domestic violence or dating violence or violate certain protection orders in Indian Country. The Act also specified the rights that a participating tribe must provide to defendants in SDVCJ cases. The Tribal Jurisdiction Program is designed to assist Indian tribes in exercising SDVCJ. Through this grant program, Indian tribes will receive support and technical assistance for planning, developing and implementing changes in their criminal justice systems necessary to exercise SDVCJ. The program encourages collaborations among tribal leadership, tribal courts, tribal prosecutors, tribal attorneys, tribal defenders, law enforcement, probation, service providers, and other partners to ensure that non-Indians who commit crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, and violations of protection orders are held accountable. The Tribal Jurisdiction Program encourages the coordinated involvement of the entire tribal criminal justice system and victim service providers to incorporate systemic change that ensures victim safety and offender accountability.