The grants to improve the criminal justice response program (icjr program)assistsstate, local, and tribal governments, and courts to improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence,…

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded the Pauma Band of Mission Indians $700,000 on April 1, 2026, under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (CFDA 16.590) to improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The project, which runs through March 31, 2029, supports five categories of activity: legal assistance for victims; timely and trauma-informed medical forensic exams for sexual assault victims; development of a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) including tribal Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner protocols and training materials; trainings for law enforcement, prosecutors, and court personnel on trauma-informed interviewing, evidence collection, working with underserved populations, and federal jurisdiction; and community outreach. Performance takes place in Pauma Valley, California.

The grants to improve the criminal justice response program (icjr program)assistsstate, local, and tribal governments, and courts to improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as serious violations of criminal law, and to seek safety and autonomy for victims. The project will support the following activities: 1) legal assistance for victims; 2) timely and trauma-informed medical forensic exams for sexual assault victims; 3) a sexual assault response team (sart) that will develop materials including tribal sexual assault nurse examiner/sexual assault forensic examiner protocols and training materials; 4) trainings for law enforcement, prosecutors, and court personnel on trauma-informed interviewing, evidence collection, working with underserved populations, and federal jurisdiction; and 5) community outreach.