The OVW violence against women tribal special assistant united states attorney (tribal sausa) initiative supports tribes and united states attorneys offices (usaos) in their investigation and…

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon received a $1,250,000 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Tribal Special Assistant United States Attorneys (Tribal SAUSA) Initiative (CFDA 16.055). This 5-year grant supports a partnership between the Confederated Tribes and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon to improve the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, sex trafficking, and stalking cases in Indian country.

The grant funds a dedicated Tribal SAUSA position, who will be cross-designated as both a tribal prosecutor and a Special Assistant United States Attorney. This cross-designation will help address jurisdictional complexities, increase communication and coordination between tribal, federal, and state law enforcement, and enhance the quality of cases through training and best practices. In addition to salary and fringe benefits for the Tribal SAUSA, the grant provides resources for required training, travel, and other operational needs to support the Tribal SAUSA's work.

The OVW violence against women tribal special assistant united states attorney (tribal sausa) initiative supports tribes and united states attorneys offices (usaos) in their investigation and prosecution of indian country domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, SEX trafficking, and stalking cases. Grant funds support dedicated tribal prosecutors who are cross-designated as tribal sausas to work directly with their usaos. The goals of the program are to fill gaps in jurisdictional coverage; increase communication and coordination with tribal, federal, and state law enforcement agencies; establish consistent relationships between federal prosecutors and the tribal community(IES); and improve the quality of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, SEX trafficking, and stalking cases through training and best practices. The confederated tribes of the warm springs reservation of oregon is a federally-recognized indian tribe located in oregon. For this project, the tribe is partnering with the united states attorneys office for the district of oregon (usao). The tribe and usao have demonstrated a strong mutual interest in filling gaps in jurisdictional coverage; increasing communication and coordination between the tribal, federal, and state law enforcement agencies; establishing consistent relationships between federal prosecutors and the tribal community, and improving the quality of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking cases through training and best practices. Through this project, the partners will: 1) enter into a formal memorandum of understanding detailing the terms of their partnership; 2) mutually select or retain an agreed upon attorney to be cross-designated as both a sausa and a tribal prosecutor who will maintain an active tribal and/or federal caseload; and 3) participate in required training and technical assistance. Funds through this award will support salary and fringe benefits for the sausa position, training, travel, and other resources needed to support the work of the sausa.