Findings from the Federal, State, and Tribal Response to Violence Against Women in Indian Country Studies

Abstract

This presentation was part of the 14th Indian Nations Conference on December 10, 2014, held on the Agua Caliente Reservation. The study aimed to improve law enforcement, prosecution, and judicial response to crimes against women in Indian Country, such as domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and homicide of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI and AN) women. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with federal, state, and tribal agency representatives involved in the response to these crimes and findings from non-Public Law (PL) 280 states and PL-280 states were compared. The study also documented policies and practices, training, and outreach efforts of agencies that serve tribal communities. Select findings included the effects of interagency communication and collaboration on case processing, reasons for underreporting of crimes and case declinations, and improvements needed for staff training and well-being. This research was produced as part of 2013-PJ-BX-K001: Native American Crime, Victimization, and Justice Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship (CVRL Abstract)