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Tribal Jurisdiction Program Fact Sheet

Tribal Jurisdiction Program

OVW Tribal Affairs Division

The OVW Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction Grant Program (Tribal Jurisdiction Program) supports Tribes in their efforts to exercise Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction (STCJ) over non-Indians who commit covered crimes – assault of Tribal justice personnel; child, dating, sexual and/or domestic violence; obstruction of justice; sex trafficking; stalking; and protection order violations – within the Tribe’s jurisdictional boundaries, and provides technical assistance for planning and implementing changes in their criminal justice systems necessary to exercise STCJ to ensure victims find safety and justice and that non-Indians who commit covered crimes are held accountable.

Funded activities can include

  • Funding under the Tribal Jurisdiction Program may be used to:
  • Strengthen Tribal criminal justice systems to assist Indian Tribes in exercising STCJ
  • Provide indigent criminal defendants with licensed defense counsel at no cost to the defendant in criminal proceedings in which a participating Tribe prosecutes covered crimes
  • Ensure that, in criminal proceedings in which a participating Tribe exercises STCJ, jurors are summoned, selected, and instructed in a manner consistent with all applicable requirements
  • Accord victims of covered crimes rights that are similar to the rights of a crime victim described in of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 3771(a), consistent with Tribal law and custom.

Eligible applicants

Governments of Indian Tribes that have jurisdiction over Indian country are eligible applicants, as are consortia of such governments. OVW does not limit eligibility for the Tribal Jurisdiction Program to Tribes that are already exercising or are immediately prepared to exercise STCJ. OVW issues a separate solicitation under the Tribal Jurisdiction Program to provide targeted support for Alaska Tribes that do not have jurisdiction over Indian country but are interested in preparing to seek Attorney General designation to exercise STCJ under the Alaska Pilot Program.

Apply for this grant

Updated March 6, 2025