Welcome to the Tribal Court Clearinghouse
The Tribal Court Clearinghouse is a comprehensive website established in June
1997
to serve as a resource for American Indian and Alaska Native Nations, American
Indian and Alaska Native people, tribal justice systems, victims services
providers, tribal service providers, and others involved in the improvement of
justice in Indian country.
The Tribal Court Clearinghouse is developed and maintained by the
Tribal Law
and Policy Institute, an Indian owned and operated non-profit corporation
organized to design and develop education, research, training, and technical
assistance programs which promote the enhancement of justice in Indian country
and the health, well-being, and culture of Native peoples.
The Office for
Victims of Crime (OVC) and the
Tribal Law and Policy Institute would like to extend our
thanks to everyone who participated in the 11th
National Indian Nations Conference: Justice for Victims of
Crime. The Conference - held December 11 — 13, 2008 on the Agua
Caliente Reservation in Palm Springs California with the theme,
“Strengthening the Heartbeat of all our Relations” was a great
success. The purpose of these National Indian Nations
conferences — the largest U.S. Department of Justice sponsored
Indian Nations conferences — is to bring together Native
American victims, victim advocates, tribal leaders, victim
service providers, community volunteers, prosecutors, judicial
and law enforcement personnel, family violence and sexual
assault specialists, medical providers, social services and
mental health personnel, probation/corrections, criminal justice
and juvenile justice personnel, as well as federal and state
agency representatives to share their knowledge, experiences and
ideas for developing programs that serve the unique needs of
crime victims in Indian Country. Resource Materials – including
Workshop PowerPoints and Handouts - from the 11th
National Indian Nations Conference: Justice for Victims of Crime
are now posted on the
Agenda Page of the Conference
Web Site. |
Adam Walsh Act/ Tribal Implementation – Extension Granted
The Attorney General has granted a blanket one-year extension to all
jurisdictions for substantial implementation of SORNA. The new deadline
for all jurisdictions to substantially implement SORNA is now
July 26, 2010.
The SMART Office (Sex
Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking)
determines substantial implementation with SORNA and has authority to
grant an additional one year extension.
When applying for a determination that your tribe has substantially
implemented SORNA review the
Substantial Implementation Checklist and the
National Guidelines for Sex Offender Registration and Notification.
A Model
Tribal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Code that is SORNA
compliant may also be of assistance to tribal jurisdictions. The SMART
office has also provided an
Additional Checklist of Information to be included in the
substantial compliance package sent to the SMART office. |
Tribe and Territory Sex Offender Registry System Regional Training
Event
September 29, 2009
Seattle, WashingtonThe SMART Office
requests your agency’s participation in an all-expenses-paid training
event on the Tribe and Territory Sex Offender Registry System (TTSORS)
being held in Seattle, Washington, on Tuesday, September 29, 2009.
This training is being provided to representatives from Indian Country
and the U.S. territories on the new TTSORS. TTSORS has been created to
provide tribes and territories with a Sex Offender Registration and
Notification Act (SORNA)-compliant sex offender registry system, which
includes a customizable public Web site and a private administrative Web
site for managing sex offender information.
There will be an identical training the end of October 2009 on the
Santa Ana Pueblo in New Mexico. |
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Faculty Development Workshop
October 28-30, 2009
San Francisco, CaliforniaThe Family Violence Prevention Fund’s Institute for Leadership in
Education Development offers a two-day, hands on, highly interactive
workshop that will help OVW grantees to train faculty in effective,
interactive adult education methods. The education
program is provided free of charge. Please note that participants are
responsible for their own lodging, travel arrangements, and costs
associated with attending the program.
More Information >>> |
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The National Professional Training Conference on Responding to
Crime Victims with Disabilities
September 30, 2009
- October 2, 2009
Denver, ColoradoThe National Professional Training Conference on
Responding to Crime Victims with Disabilities will serve to enhance the
knowledge, skills, and abilities of providers to better serve people
with disabilities who are victims of crime, abuse, and neglect. The
conference will facilitate partnerships among the fields of victim
assistance, advocacy for persons with disabilities, and allied
professions for conference participation.
More Information >>> |
New on the Tribal Court Clearinghouse
Tribal Legal Code Resource:
Crimes Against Children
(or Microsoft Word
2007 Format) has been developed by the Tribal Law and Policy
Institute (TLPI) under a Children's Justice Act Partnerships for Indian
Communities training and technical assistance grant. Specifically it has
been developed to provide assistance to tribes and tribal organizations
that have also received Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian
Communities grants. Tribes frequently request assistance in developing
and/or updating their laws to address victimization of tribal children.
TLPI has developed this Resource Guide and Workbook to meet the
identified need. This project was conceived in 2001 under the guidance
of an Advisory Committee of experts in the tribal justice field, those
working with Native child abuse and child victimization issues, and with
tribal child and family services providers. The
Crimes Against American
Indian/Alaska Native Children Resource Guide provides illustrative examples, narrative, and discussion
questions. The discussion questions direct users through a tailoring
process that will assure that the resulting draft statutory provisions
reflect the needs and values of the tribal community that the targeted
law serves.
Tribal Legal
Code Resource: Domestic Violence Laws
was
developed by the Tribal Law and Policy Institute in cooperation with the
Office on Violence Against Women. This Victim-Centered Approach to
Domestic Violence Against Native Women resource guide includes
exercises, examples, and discussion questions to help you customize your
laws to meet the needs of your community.
Tribal Legal
Code Resource: Sexual Violence and Stalking Laws
was developed by the Tribal Law and
Policy Institute in conjunction with the
Southwest Center for Law and Policy to
be a guide for drafting or
revising victim-centered tribal criminal laws on sexual assault and stalking. It is
written with a philosophy that tribal laws should reflect tribal values.
In addition, writing a tribal law usually requires careful consideration
of how state and/or federal laws might apply in the community. This
resource guide includes sample language and discussion questions which
are designed to help tribal community members decide on the best laws
for their community.
Law
Enforcement Protocol Guide: Sexual Assault
(Including a Model Sexual Assault Protocol)
was developed by the Tribal Law and
Policy Institute in conjunction with
Southwest Center for Law and Policy as a tool for improving the investigation of sexual
assault crimes. Effective investigations increase the likelihood of
victim participation and increase the probability of convictions in
tribal, state, and/or federal courts. This guide focuses on the
development of an internal protocol for law enforcement. A law
enforcement protocol can enhance the efforts of all community agencies
in addressing sexual violence. Once your tribal government has strong
laws in place, this publication will help you create policies and protocols for
your law enforcement agency to enforce your laws.
Prosecutor Protocol Guide: Sexual Assault
(Including a Model Sexual Assault Protocol) was developed by the Tribal Law and
Policy Institute in conjunction with
Southwest Center for Law and Policy as a tool for improving the prosecution of sexual
assault crimes. Holding offenders accountable for their actions is a key
part of making your community safe. This publication is designed to help
your prosecutor’s office ensure consistency and compassion for all
survivors. This guide focuses on the development of an internal protocol
for tribal prosecution. A prosecutor protocol can enhance the efforts of
all community agencies in addressing sexual violence.
Sexual Assault Response
Team (SART) Resource
was developed by the Tribal Law and
Policy Institute in conjunction with
Southwest Center for Law and Policy as a guide to creating cohesive
policies between tribal agencies. Victims of sexual assault deserve a
coordinated, comprehensive response from a variety of community
agencies. This SART resource provides a starting point for developing
victim-centered SART teams in your community.
Listen to the Grandmothers Video Discussion Guidebook (Note: this PDF is one megabyte)
was developed by the Tribal Law and Policy Institute in order to assist tribal
programs with incorporating cultural traditions into contemporary responses to
violence against Native women. The "Listen to the Grandmothers” video features Native elders
speaking to the problem of violence against Native women. The video
provides a historical overview of violence against Native women,
traditional responses to such violence and an analysis on incorporating
cultural traditions into contemporary responses to violence against
Native women. For information
concerning the video and accompanying guidebook, please contact the
Minnesota office of the Tribal Law and Policy Institute. Due to the
sensitive nature of this video, we welcome the opportunity to provide
onsite training and technical assistance on the use of these products.
TribalProtectionOrder.org Launched - Under a grant from the Office on
Violence Against Women, the Tribal Law and Policy Institute has launched a new
website, TribalProtectionOrder.org, which is designed to provide both tribal and
non-tribal entities with a clearinghouse of information and resources pertaining
to the issuance and enforcement of protection orders.
Perceptions of Methamphetamine use in three Western Tribal Communities:
Implications for Child Abuse in Indian Country
- Indian country lacks
both a macro and micro study of child abuse and methamphetamines. Because so
little is documented routinely by either law enforcement, social services or
medical professionals in assessing risks and dangers to children from
environments where meth is found, data is difficult to find. However, in an
attempt to explore the increasing concerns raised by the emerging
methamphetamine epidemic in Indian country, professionals from three Western
Tribal communities were asked to complete a survey about their perceptions
of meth us and implications for child abuse in the communities in which they
worked. This study was funded through the Training and Technical Assistance
grant that the Tribal Law and Policy Institute receives for Children’s
Justice Act Partnerships in Indian Communities to assist tribes in
addressing serious child abuse. The tribes and individuals that participated
in the study were guaranteed anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the
questions being asked. However, each Tribal Council provided permission for
the surveys to be conducted within their service areas.
A Practical Guide to the Indian Child
Welfare Act is intended to answer questions about the ICWA by people
of all levels of familiarity with this important law, and to provide a
comprehensive resource of information on the ICWA. The Guide, by the
Native American Rights Fund, provides an
introduction to the ICWA, answers to Frequently Asked Questions, and an
appendix of resources -- primary research documents (federal and state
laws, regulations, court cases, legislative materials) and secondary
research documents (reports, guides, links, bibliographies, forms, and
contact information).
We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who participated and assisted
in the the 11th National Indian Nations Conference. Workshop
PowerPoint's and Handouts' are now posted on the
Conference Web Site.
Emerging Issues
Supreme Court rules in big land-into-trust case
(February 24, 2009) Tribes that weren't under federal
jurisdiction in 1934 cannot follow the land-into-trust
process of the Indian Reorganization Act, the U.S.
Supreme Court ruled in
Carcieri V.
Salazar.
By a 6-3 vote, the justices said the Interior Department
can't acquire land for the Narragansett Tribe of Rhode
Island because the tribe didn't gain federal recognition
until 1983. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the majority
opinion. Three justices dissented from the court's
opinion. Justice David Souter agreed with the 1934 issue
but said the Narragansetts should be given the
opportunity to prove they were under federal
jurisdiction at the time, an issue that wasn't argued
when the case was accepted. "The very notion of
jurisdiction as a distinct statutory condition was
ignored in this litigation, and I know of no body of
precedent or history of practice giving content to the
condition sufficient for gauging the tribe’s chances of
satisfying it," Souter wrote in an opinion that was
joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice John Paul
Stevens disagreed with the 1934 issue altogether and
said the Narragansetts are an Indian tribe as defined by
the IRA. "That tribe has existed as a continuous
political entity since the early 17th century," he
wrote. Justice Stephen G. Breyer joined the majority
opinion and authored a concurrence that said the
Narragansetts have no way of proving they were under
federal jurisdiction in 1934. "Because I see no
realistic possibility that the Narragansett Tribe could
prevail on the basis of a theory alternative to the
theories argued here, I would not remand this case," he
wrote.
More Information >>>
The American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus) was signed
into law on February 17, 2009 by President Barack Obama.
The National Congress of
American Indians (NCAI) has developed a new web
site, Indian
Country Works, to assist tribal leaders in growing
their local economies and putting their communities to
work.
9th Circuit reverses conviction in Indian status case (February 11, 2009)
A man with 22 percent Indian blood cannot be prosecuted in federal court because
he is not a recognized tribal member, the
9th
Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Tuesday. Christopher Cruz was convicted of
assault resulting in serious bodily injury for an incident that occurred on the
Blackfeet Nation in Montana. But since he does not meet the definition of
"Indian" under federal law, the 9th Circuit said he shouldn't have been tried in
federal court. As a result, Cruz won't face prosecution in state court either
due to double jeopardy. The
U.S.
Attorney in Montana said appeals are possible. At issue in the case was
whether Cruz met the Bruce test that was laid out in a prior 9th Circuit
decision. The court noted that he possessed a significant degree of Indian
blood, the first factor. But the 9th Circuit said Cruz didn't meet the second
factor -- whether he has tribal or federal government recognition as an Indian.
Though he qualifies for certain benefits as a Blackfeet descendant, the court
noted he didn't take advantage of them and only lived on the reservation for a
brief portion of his life. More Information >>>
Maine's Indian lawmakers gain full recognition (January 27, 2009) Maine's
Indian lawmakers have been a part of the state Legislature as far back as the
1820s but it wasn't until this year that their positions became more official.
The
Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribe (Pleasant
Point |
Indian
Township) each send a representative to the Legislature. But the Indian
lawmakers never got a seat on the floor or their names on the roll call board.
That changed last week with the passing of legislation to treat the Indian
lawmakers the same as all others. “Today is a monumental step,” said
Passamaquoddy Rep. Donald Soctomah, The Ellsworth American reported. “We are
no longer invisible.” “We’re worthy of having our name put up there, especially
during the same week that Barack Obama became the first black president,” Soctomah added. “I’m hoping that when young native children see the name of the
tribal representatives up there, it gives them the same hope.”
Supreme Court rejects land-into-trust case (January 22, 2009)
The
U.S. Supreme Court, without comment, declined to hear
MichGo v. Kempthorne, a lawsuit that tested the ability of the federal
government to acquire land for tribes.
The move effectively settles a debate that has haunted Interior as far back as
the Clinton administration. For years, tribal foes have argued that the
land-into-trust provisions of the
Indian Reorganization Act are unconstitutional.
Every court that has taken up that question has rejected it. So the action
yesterday indicates the justices aren't interested in overturning the 1st, 2nd,
8th, 9th, 10th and the D.C. circuits, whose combined jurisdictions cover nearly
every tribe in the country.
More Information >>>
Supreme Court rejects two Indian law cases
(January 12, 2009) - The
U.S.
Supreme Court today rejected petitions in two Indian law cases. Without
comment, the justices declined
South Fork Band v. United States. The case involves a long-running challenge
to an
Indian Claims Commission ruling that said the Western Shoshone Nation was
owed $26 million for the loss of their lands. The justices also rejected
Roberts v. Hagener. The case was a challenge to Montana state regulations
that limit hunting on reservations to members of federally-recognized tribes.
One more case,
Michigan Gambling Opposition v. Kempthorne remains on the docket even though
the justices considered it at their closed-door conference last week. The case
is a challenge to the land-into-trust provisions of the
Indian Reorganization Act and whether they apply to tribes that weren't
recognized as of 1934. Relevant Documents: Supreme
Court Order Sheet (January 12, 2009) Related Stories:
DOJ brief argues 1934
land-into-trust issue again.
ABA votes to support funding for Tribal Justice Systems
(August 12, 2008) The American Bar Association (ABA)
enacted a resolution in support of adequate, stable, and
long term funding for Tribal Justice Systems funding on
August 12, 2008. The following is the text of the
resolution: "RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association
urges Congress to support quality and accessible justice
by ensuring adequate, stable, long-term funding for
tribal justice systems."
View
Report >>>
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Amnesty International issues One year Update to Maze
Of Injustice Report
(July 15, 2008) Amnesty International released a
One
Year Update
to its initial April 25, 2007 Report entitled "Maze
of Injustice." Native women
are victimized at 2.5 times the rate of other racial and
ethnic groups. Their attackers are more likely to be
non-Native, according to government statistics. But
tribal governments are hindered by federal law and court
decisions. They cannot prosecute non-Natives and they
cannot impose a sentence greater than one year or fines
of greater than $5,000. State and federal governments
can prosecute non-Indians. But Native women advocates
say the crimes often go unprosecuted. "Maze
of Injustice: The failure to protect Indigenous women
from sexual violence in the USA"
focuses on three areas: Oklahoma, Alaska and the
Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North and South
Dakota. It contains the stories of Native women victims
and makes more than 50 recommendations to change the
justice system.
More Information >>>
Department of justice announces final national
guidelines for sex offender registration and
notification (July 1, 2008) The Department of
Justice today announced the final guidelines for Title I
of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of
2006, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act
(SORNA). The Guidelines provide necessary tools for
states, the District of Columbia, territories and
certain federally recognized Indian tribes to
incorporate SORNA minimum requirements into their sex
offender registration and notification programs. “The
Department is pleased to provide guidance to states and
other covered jurisdictions in complying with the Adam
Walsh Child Safety and Protection Act,” said Acting
Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Sedgwick of the
Office of Justice Programs. “These Guidelines will
provide valuable implementation strategies to enhance
their abilities to respond to crimes against children
and adults and prevent sex offenders who have been
released back into the community from victimizing
others.” More Information >>>
Supreme Court limits tribal jurisdiction over
non-Indians (June 26, 2008) The U.S. Supreme Court
on Wednesday limited tribal jurisdiction over
non-Indians in a 5-4 decision that was split along
conservative and liberal lines. In the eyes of many in
Indian Country, Plains Commerce Bank v. Long was a
contract dispute between two members of the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe and a non-Indian bank. Since Plains
Commerce Bank in South Dakota voluntarily entered into
an agreement with Ron and Lila Long, tribal advocates
believed the case would withstand scrutiny. But Chief
Justice John G. Roberts recast the dispute in a way that
precluded tribal jurisdiction. Writing for the majority,
he said just everything about the case was non-Indian in
nature. "This case concerns the sale of fee land on a
tribal reservation by a non-Indian bank to non-Indian
individuals," Roberts wrote in his opening. By noting
that the Longs mortgaged fee land to the bank, Roberts
was able to rely on Supreme Court precedents that limit
tribal jurisdiction over lands that are not held in
trust. More Information >>>
In recognition of National American Indian Heritage
Month, NCJRS presents
Justice in Indian Country, a compilation of
information and resources on justice-related matters in
tribal communities. This resource provides links to
publications, Web sites, and funding opportunities on
topics including tribal law, justice systems, law
enforcement, courts, corrections, juvenile justice, and
victim services.
Navajo Nation owed money for
bungled lease (September 14, 2007) The
Interior Department breached its trust to the Navajo
Nation and must pay damages for mishandling a coal
mining lease, a federal appeals court ruled on Thursday.
In a unanimous decision, the Federal Circuit Court of
Appeals said the "undisputed facts" prove Interior
breached its fiduciary duties to the largest tribe in
the country. Swayed by a lobbyist, the Reagan
administration approved a coal mining lease for a less
than a "reasonable" royalty rate, the three-judge panel
concluded. That action violated common trust law, as
well as a "network" of federal laws and regulations
aimed at protecting the tribe's coal resources and
keeping the tribe informed about its assets, the court
said.
More Information >>>
Court denies tribal
jurisdiction in ICWA case (September 14, 2007) The South Dakota
Supreme Court denied the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe jurisdiction in an Indian
Child Welfare Act case. The court said the tribe lacked authority over Daniel
John Carlson, who is non-Indian, and his daughter. The court said the daughter
is not a ward of the tribe and that Carlson does not live on the
Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Reservation, which has been diminished. Carlson's
ex-wife is a tribal member. She sought custody of the couple's 6-year-old
daughter after Carlson left their 17-month-old daughter in a locked car all day,
leading to her death. The state did not prosecute Carlson so his ex-wife,
Barbara Baldwin, sought custody in tribal court under ICWA.
More Information >>>
9th Circuit rejects Northern Cheyenne injunction
(September 12, 2007) A divided panel of the 9th
Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Northern Cheyenne Tribe's attempt to block
coalbed methane development in Montana. By a 2-1 vote, the panel agreed that the
Interior Department violated environmental law by approving drilling in the
Powder River Basin. But the judges left in place a lower court order that
allowed "limited" development while a new environmental impact statement is
being prepared. The court did not reach the question of whether drilling would
harm the tribe's cultural resources. "Neither the plan nor the partial
injunction can affect any Indian cultural resources, because no actual
development is possible without additional environmental assessment,
consultation with the tribe as required by the National Historic Preservation
Act, and permits," Judge Andrew J. Kleinfeld wrote. Chief Judge Mary M.
Schroeder dissented. She said the "limited" development would significantly
impact the environment even though the Interior Department has failed to study
all of the options for coalbed methane drilling.
More Information >>>
Maine sovereignty case headed to Supreme Court
(July 9, 2007) Two Maine tribes who lost a critical
sovereignty case are filing an appeal with the U.S.
Supreme Court. The justices are the last hope for the
Aroostook Band of Micmac Indians and the Houlton Band of
Maliseet Indians. The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals ruled
that both tribes are subject to state employment laws.
The tribes fall under a land claims settlement that
limited their sovereignty, the 1st Circuit said.
Attorney Douglas Luckerman said the decision could have
a negative impact throughout Indian Country. The Supreme
Court briefs will be filed in the coming months.
More Information >>>
Yakama treaty protects smokeshop owners from
prosecution (May 21, 2007) Members of the Yakama
Nation of Washington can't be prosecuted under a tobacco
contraband law, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday.
After their smokeshop was raided in June 2004, Harry
Smiskin and his son, Kato, were indicted for allegedly
violating the federal Contraband Cigarette Trafficking
Act. According to government prosecutors, the two men
failed to notify the state of Washington that they were
transporting large quantities of cigarettes without
state tax stamps. But in a unanimous decision, the 9th
Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the charges against
the Smiskins. A three-judge panel said prosecution under
the contraband law violates the Yakama Treaty of 1855
because it prevents tribal members from free use of
public highways and interferes with tribal commerce.
More Information >>>
Colorado U.S. Attorney
cross-deputizes tribal officers (May 7, 2007)
U.S. Attorney Troy Eid of Utah has been cross-deputizing
tribal police officers to enforce federal law. Eid said
more than 40 officers on the Southern Ute Reservation,
as well as officers in two counties, have been
cross-deputized. He hopes it will lead to improved law
enforcement in Indian Country. About a fifth of the
criminal cases handled by Eid's office originate from
the Southern Ute Reservation and the Ute Mountain Ute
Reservation. The homicide rate on the Ute Mountain
reservation is 25 times higher than the rate for the
state's biggest cities.
Colo. tribal officers deputized to help enforce federal
laws (The Denver Post 5/7).
9th Circuit blocks snowmaking at sacred peaks
(March 12, 2007) The Bush administration violated tribal
religious rights by approving the use of reclaimed
wastewater in the sacred San Francisco Peaks, a federal
appeals court ruled on Monday. In a unanimous decision,
the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the treated sewage
would harm the religious beliefs and practices of the
Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe and others throughout the
Southwest. The three-judge panel cited the testimony of
spiritual elders who said the Peaks would be poisoned by
the use of reclaimed wastewater.
More Information >>>
On September 30, 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of
California signed SB 678 into law. SB 678 took
effect on
January 1, 2007. SB 678 codifies the federal
requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C.
§§ 1901, et. seq.) into the California Family, Probate
and Welfare & Institutions Codes. This legislation
applies in every California court and will impact every
tribe in the nation should one of their minor Indian
children be involved. This is one of the most important
pieces of legislation to benefit Indian tribes, Indian
families, and Indian children in California.
More Information >>>
Navajo Nation
Judicial Branch provides the public and
practitioners easy access to information about the
Navajo Nation justice system and the efforts of Aląąjį'
Hashkééjí Nahat'á in carrying out their duties and
responsibilities, including links to
Navajo Nation Supreme Court Opinions,
The
Fundamental Laws of the Diné,
Navajo Court Procedural Rules,
Navajo Nation Council Resolutions.
Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Launches new Tribal
Justice and Safety Web Site (November 28, 2006) -
The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
today announced the launch of a new Tribal Justice and
Safety Web site,
Tribal Justice and Safety in Indian Country. The
Internet home page will be a resource for American
Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments and
communities, and will help the general public and other
federal agencies to better understand the resources
available for improving safety in Native American
communities. “I am honored to deliver the promise
that I made to provide a ‘one stop shop’ that will
enhance the prevention of and response to crime and the
administration of justice in Indian country,” said
Regina B. Schofield, Assistant Attorney General for the
Office of Justice Programs. “This will serve as a medium
for talking about promising practices across the nation.
Crime knows no boundaries, and the
Tribal Justice and Safety in Indian Country site is
another way we are using technology to prevent crime and
violence from taking root in our communities.”
TribalProtectionOrder.org Launched - Under a
grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, the
Tribal Law and Policy Institute has launched a new
website,
TribalProtectionOrder.org, which is designed to
provide both tribal and non-tribal entities with a
clearinghouse of information and resources pertaining to
the issuance and enforcement of protection orders.
United States Government Accountability Office issued
a Report to Congressional Committees called "Grants
Management: Grantees' Concerns with Efforts to
Streamline and Simplify Processes."
Grants.gov continues to demonstrate
a lack of standardization and inefficiencies in grant
administration across federal agencies and difficulties
with implementing its Web portal, the Government
Accountability Office said in a recent report.
Read
the Report >>>
Archived Emerging
Issues
![Sharing our Stories of Survival: Native Women Surviving Violence textbook](newimages/sharing-our-stories.gif) |
We are pleased to announce that our newest
textbook, "Sharing
our Stories of Survival: Native Women Surviving Violence" is now available for
purchase through
AltaMira Press. This textbook has been funded through a grant from the
Office on Violence Against Women.
Sharing
our Stories of Survival: Native Women Surviving Violence is a
general introduction to the social and legal issues involved in acts of
violence against Native women, this book's contributors are lawyers,
advocates, social workers, social scientists, writers, poets, and
victims. In the U.S. Native women are more likely than women from any
other group to suffer violence, from rape and battery to more subtle
forms of abuse, and Sharing Our Stories of Survival
explores the causes and consequences of such behavior. The stories and
case-studies presented here are often painful and raw, and the
statistics are overwhelmingly grim; but a countervailing theme also runs
through this extremely informative volume: Many of the women who appear
in these pages are survivors, often strengthened by their travails, and
the violence examined here is human violence, meaning that it can be
changed, if only with much effort and education. The first step is to
lay out the truth for all to see, and that is the purpose accomplished
by this book. To order, call 800-462-6420 or visit
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We are interested in your feedback about this book. After you have had
an opportunity to read this book, please consider filling out
Our Online Survey. |
![Introduction to Tribal Legal Studies](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090825201718im_/http://www.tribal-institute.org/newimages/tls.gif) |
Introduction to Tribal Legal Studies
addresses the power of tribal courts and tribal legal systems as key to
the exercise and expansion of tribal sovereignty. Richland and Deer
discuss in depth the histories, structures and practices of tribal
justice systems, efforts to balance tribal legal heritage and
Anglo-American law, the scope of criminal and civil jurisdictions, child
welfare and civil rights, traditional dispute resolution mechanisms in
contemporary tribal law, models of peacemaking, and means for assuring
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![Tribal Criminal Law and Procedure](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090825201718im_/http://www.tribal-institute.org/newimages/tclp.gif) |
Tribal Criminal Law and Procedure examines the complex subject of tribal criminal law and procedure from a
tribal perspective—utilizing tribal statutory law, tribal case law, and
the cultural values of Native peoples. Garrow and Deer discuss in depth
the histories, structures and practices of tribal justice systems,
comparisons of traditional tribal justice with Anglo-American law and
jurisdictions, elements of criminal law and procedure, and alternative
sentencing and traditional sanctions. Tribal Criminal Law and Procedure
will be an invaluable resource for legal scholars and students. To
order, call 800-462-6420 or visit
Alta Mira Press and use promotion code
BS5TLSTS to receive your 20%
discount! |
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