Jurisdiction: Passed in 1953, Public Law 280 (PL 280) gave jurisdiction over criminal offenses involving Indians in Indian Country to certain States and allowed other States to assume jurisdiction. Subsequent legislation allowed States to retrocede jurisdiction, which has occurred in some areas. Some PL 280 reservations have experienced jurisdictional confusion, tribal discontent, and litigation, compounded by the lack of data on crime rates and law enforcement response (http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/Jurisdiction_in_California_Indian_Country.pdf).
Enhanced Sentencing in Tribal Courts:Tribes interested in implementing VAWA 2013 are strongly encouraged to join the Intertribal Technical-Assistance Working Group on Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction (ITWG). The ITWG is a voluntary working group of designated tribal representatives who may exchange views, information, and advice, peer-to-peer, about how tribes may best implement SDVCJ, combat domestic violence, recognize victims’ rights and safety needs, and safeguard defendants’ rights.
(http://www.ncai.org/tribal-vawa/getting-started/intertribal-working-group).
NEWS! Victims of Crime Act (VOCA): WA State Department of Commerce, Office of Crime Victim Advocacy (OCVA) included a (first -time) 7.9% set -a – side for 2015-2019, for tribes and tribal programs serving victims of crime in WA State. The set- a- side does not exclude applying other categories of funding.(http://www.commerce.wa.gov/Programs/PublicSafety/OCVA/Pages/VOCA-Funding-Sessions.aspx)
Resolution: Support for the Reauthorization of the Family Violence Prevention Services Act Inclusive of an increased Tribal Set-Aside, include of Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions.
(https://www.atcev.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ATCEV-Resolution-on-FVPSA-SIGNED.pdf)