Office of Tribal Justice

We are pleased to invite you to listening sessions with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) to discuss the impact of the June 29, 2022, Supreme Court decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta, which addressed the scope of a state’s criminal jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indian defendants in Indian country.  Please see the attached invitation letter and framing document for more information about how to join these discussions. Please feel free to contact OTJ@usdoj.gov with any questions.

We are pleased to invite Tribal leaders and designees to government-to-government consultations with the Bureau of Prisons on to discuss implementation of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Tribal Prisoner Program established in the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022). Please review the invitation letter for more information on joining the calls and submitting written comments.  The framing paper and reference document provides more detail on the intended scope of the discussions.  Please note that we strongly encourage written submissions as well as participation in the discussions. Please feel free to contact OTJ@usdoj.gov with any questions.

DOJ will hold government-to-government consultation on July 19, 20 and August 3, 2022 to discuss implementation of the Alaska Pilot Program established in the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022.  Please reference the invitation letter for additional information about these consultation sessions; the framing paper is available here. Please contact OTJ@usdoj.gov with any questions.

On March 16 and 17, 2022, the Department of Justice held government-to-government consultations on DOJ's efforts to address the unacceptably high rate of violent crime in Native communities, including the rates of missing or murdered indigenous persons. The invitation letter and framing paper provide additional background on these discussions. A final report is forthcoming. Please contact OTJ@usdoj.gov with any questions.

On October 28 and 29, 2021, the Department of Justice held government-to-government consultations on best practices for Tribal risk management in the context of economic development.  This consultation was mandated by Congress in the Fiscal Year 2021 Joint Explanatory Statement that accompanied the Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations bill. Please see the invitation letter, framing paper, and final report for additional information on these consultations. Please feel free to contact OTJ@usdoj.gov with any questions.

In accordance with S.227, Savanna's Act, the Department of Justice held government-to-government consultations on June 17 and 18, 2021. The invitation letter and framing paper provide background on the discussions. Access the final report. Please feel free to contact OTJ@usdoj.gov with any questions.

The Department of Justice’s Statement of Principles was developed to guide and inform all of the Department's interactions with federally recognized Indian tribes.

Department of Justice Policy Statement on Tribal Consultation, November 30, 2022.

Watch the video "A Turning in the Tide" about Robert F. Kennedy's historic 1963 speech to the National Congress of American Indians and how the Justice Department is working today more than ever to fulfill its commitment to foster equal justice, safety, partnership and self-government in Native American communities.