The Violence Against Women Act of 2013 first authorized this program as an amendment to the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, and it was further amended by the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022) to include Alaska Tribes (codified as amended at 25 U.S.C. 1304(h)(2)). The OVW Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction Grant Program (Tribal Jurisdiction Program) (Assistance Listing # 16.025) supports tribes in their efforts to exercise special Tribal criminal jurisdiction (STCJ) over non-Indians who commit covered crimes within the Tribes jurisdictional boundaries and provides 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. More information on the scope and requirements of STCJ is available on the DOJ website at https://www.justice.gov/tribal/2013-and-2022-reauthorizations-violence-against-women-act-vawa. The program supports tribes in preparing to exercise or exercising the jurisdiction to ensure that victims find safety and justice and that non-Indians who commit covered crimes within their communities are held accountable.
