U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California issued the following announcement on Oct. 2.
The Department of Justice announced that it has awarded over $295.8 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
“American Indian and Alaska Native communities experience rates of violent crime and domestic abuse that are among the highest in the nation,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The awards announced today underscore the Department of Justice’s deep commitment to improving public safety in tribal communities throughout the United States. This administration will continue to work closely with our tribal partners to guarantee that they have the resources they need to combat violence and bring criminals to justice.”
Ten tribes in the Northern District of California were awarded eighteen grants totaling $10,592,453 in funding, representing more than twice the funding awarded in ten grants to six tribes in 2019. The grants are as follows:
| Tribe | Grant and Source | Amount |
| Big Valley Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians | Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program (OVW) | $748,399 |
| Cahto Tribe of Laytonville Rancheria | Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program (OVW) | $488,136 |
| Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians | Justice Systems and Alcohol and Substance Abuse (BJA) | $900,000 |
| Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program Award (OVC) | $417,336 | |
| Hoopa Valley Tribe | Public Safety and Community Policing (COPS) | $477,995 |
| Tribal Youth Program (OJJDP) | $416,030 | |
| Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program Award (OVC) | $694,698 | |
| Yurok Tribe | Public Safety and Community Policing (COPS) | $653,751 |
| Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program (OVW) | $900,000 | |
| Juvenile Healing to Wellness Courts (OJJDP) | $400,000 | |
| Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program Award (OVC) | $694,698 | |
| Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation | Justice Systems and Alcohol and Substance Abuse (BJA) | $362,554 |
| Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program (OVW) | $900,000 | |
| Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program Award (OVC) | $503,691 | |
| Wiyot Tribe | Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program Award (OVC) | $505,795 |
| Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians | Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program Award (OVC) | $417,336 |
| Karuk Tribe | Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program Award (OVC) | $694,698 |
| Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria | Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Formula Program Award (OVC) | $417,336 |
| Total: | $10,592,453 |
The Department also announced awards and other programming totaling $113 million in a set-aside program to serve victims of crime. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand, and improve services to victims by supporting programming and technical assistance.
CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs. The awards cover 10 purpose areas: public safety and community policing, justice systems planning, alcohol and substance abuse, corrections and correctional alternatives, children’s justice act partnerships, services for victims of crime, violence against women, juvenile justice, violent crime reduction, and tribal youth programs.
The Department also provided more than $31 million to support a wide range of efforts to address crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking, $7 million to help tribes to comply with federal law on sex offender registration and notification, $16.1 million in separate funding to assist tribal youth, and more than $2.2 million to develop a workforce of direct victim service providers in hard-to-staff positions and locations.
Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination, and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Original source can be found here.