WASHINGTON – The U.S. government has awarded over $113 million in grants to improve public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, marking a major effort to combat the high rates of violent crime and domestic abuse plaguing these regions.
The grants, which are part of the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) program, will be distributed among 133 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and other tribal designees. Of the $113 million, just over $53 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, more than $35 million from the Office on Violence Against Women, and more than $24.7 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
“Pursuing justice on behalf of tribal communities and supporting the development and growth of tribal law enforcement agencies, courts, and victim services has been a key focus of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for many years,” said U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams. “These awards mark the Justice Department’s continued commitment to ensuring all tribes have the resources necessary to keep their communities safe and effectively enforce the administration of justice on tribal land.”
In addition to the CTAS grants, the U.S. government is also allocating up to $133 million in a first-ever set aside program to serve victims of crime in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The awards will help tribes develop, expand, and improve services to victims of crime by providing funding, programming, and technical assistance. Recipients will be announced in the near future.
“With these awards, we are doubling the amount of grant funding devoted to public safety programs and serving victims of crime in Native American communities,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio. “There is an unacceptable level of violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. This increase in resources, together with our aggressive investigation and prosecution of crimes, shows how seriously Attorney General Sessions and the entire Department of Justice take these issues. We are committed to reducing violent crime and improving public safety.”
The grants will cover nine purpose areas, including public safety and community policing, justice systems planning, and services for victims of crime. The funding will help tribes develop and strengthen their justice systems’ response to crime, while expanding services to meet their communities’ public safety needs.
The 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. A listing of the announced CTAS awards is available at: go.usa.gov/xP2uc.
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Key Facts
- State: Oregon
- Category: Violent Crime|Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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