The tunica-biloxi tribe of louisiana is a federally recognized tribe located in avoyelles parish, louisiana

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana was awarded a $891,984 Project Grant under the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Tribal Justice Assistance Program (CFDA 16.596) to expand prosecutorial services in the tribal court and decrease substance and alcohol abuse among tribal members. The grant funding will allow the tribe to increase staffing and services in the tribal court to handle more cases under tribal jurisdiction, including domestic violence and sexual assault cases, in addition to current civil, criminal, and healing-to-wellness court activities. This project aims to provide comprehensive, culturally appropriate prosecutorial services to address substance abuse, recidivism, and other criminogenic needs among tribal members involved in the criminal justice system. The award has a project period from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2029.

With this funding the tribe will expand prosecutorial services in the tribal court. This will be accomplished through the following goal: decrease the rate of substance and alcohol abuse among tunica-biloxi tribal members by providing comprehensive, culturally appropriate, prosecutorial services within the local service area. Through the expansion of tribal court prosecutor capacity, the tunica-biloxi tribe will be able to comprehensively able to address substance/alcohol misuse, recidivism and other criminogenic needs among tribal members involved from the criminal justice system by providing evidence-based cultural solutions as alternatives to current methods employed by parish/state criminal justice systems. To this end, the tribal court will increase staffing and services to handle cases under tribal jurisdiction, expand types of cases under tribal court such as domestic violence and sexual assault in addition to current civil and criminal cases and healing-to-wellness court activities.