The OVW special tribal criminal jurisdiction (STCJ) grant program was authorized by the indian civil rights act of 1968 (codified as amended at 25 U.S.C. 1304(H)(2)) to support tribes in their efforts…

The Quileute Indian Tribe received a $1,710,078 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction Implementation (CFDA 16.025) program. The grant will enable the Quileute Tribal Court, in partnership with the Tribal Council, judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim service providers, to implement a comprehensive criminal justice system to exercise jurisdiction over non-Indian offenders who commit covered crimes such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking within the tribe's jurisdictional boundaries. Key activities include supporting specialized court personnel, revising the tribal code, developing court procedures, providing training, and contracting with a local correctional facility to house non-Indian defendants. The grant aims to strengthen the tribe's sovereignty, ensure victim safety, and hold non-Indian offenders accountable through a robust criminal justice framework. The project period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2029.

The OVW special tribal criminal jurisdiction (STCJ) grant program was authorized by the indian civil rights act of 1968 (codified as amended at 25 U.S.C. 1304(H)(2)) to support tribes in their efforts to exercise STCJ over non-indians who commit covered crimes within the tribes jurisdictional boundaries and provide technical assistance for planning and implementing changes in their criminal justice systems necessary to exercise the jurisdiction. Covered crimes are: assault of tribal justice personnel; child violence; dating violence; domestic violence; obstruction of justice; sexual violence; SEX trafficking; stalking; and violation of a protection order. Grant recipients are committed to exercising the jurisdiction to ensure that victims find safety and justice and that non-indians who commit covered crimes within their jurisdiction are held accountable. The quileute tribe is a federally recognized tribe located in LA push, washington. Through this new tribal jurisdiction award, the quileute tribal court, in partnership with the tribal council, tribal and associate judges, chief tribal prosecutor, tribal attorney, tribal police chief, new beginnings, mariposa house, and the health clinic director, will implement this project. Project activities include: 1) supporting a STCJ project coordinator, assistant prosecutor, legal assistant, public defender, victim advocate, court administrator, law enforcement officer, judge and bailiff/probation officer; 2) contracting with the city of forks, was correctional facility to house non-indian STCJ defendants; 3) revising the tribal code to align with STCJ implementation requirements; 4) developing specialized court procedures for STCJ cases; and 5) providing training for judicial and court personnel on vawa and STCJ implementation strategies.