JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS $127 MILLION TO IMPROVE TRIBAL PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

First Grants Awarded Through New Streamlined Grant Process

       WASHINGTON - Hundreds of American Indian and Alaskan Native communities will receive almost $127 million to enhance law enforcement, bolster justice systems, prevent youth substance abuse, serve sexual assault and elder victims, and support other efforts to combat crime. These grants are the first under the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), a new effort combining 10 different Department of Justice grant programs into a single solicitation.

       Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli announced the CTAS awards today at the National Museum of the American Indian. Perrelli noted that Attorney General Holder and other Department of Justice leadership held tribal listening sessions last year. The department developed CTAS in response to views shared at these sessions, Tribal consultation events and other feedback from tribal leaders.

       "Today, we take another major step toward true nation-to-nation collaboration," said Perrelli. "CTAS is not only a more streamlined grant-making process, it is part of the department's broader strategy of increased engagement with tribal communities across a broad range of areas."

      CTAS includes most of the tribal programs from the department's Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The programs were listed as 10 purpose areas. In previous years, tribes seeking funding for more than one of these purposes would need to submit multiple grant applications. With CTAS, tribes were able to submit a single application while selecting multiple purpose areas, ranging from juvenile justice to violence against women.

      "This approach not only saves time and resources, but it also allows tribes and the Department to gain a better understanding of overall public safety needs," Perrelli added. "Through CTAS and other initiatives, we have sought to take action to respond to tribal leaders and help end the inexcusably high crime rates in tribal communities."

      Additionally, COPS Office Director Bernard Melekian, addressed the National Native American Law Enforcement Association's 18th Annual National Training Conference today in Las Vegas. Director Melekian simultaneously announced the CTAS awards to the approximately 400 tribal law enforcement representatives in attendance.

      All federally recognized tribes were eligible for CTAS. OJP, COPS, and OVW worked together in making the award decisions. Tribal leaders have been invited to a tribal consultation session on October 5, 2010 in Spokane to discuss ways to improve the Department's grant-making process in future years.

      A list of the ten CTAS purpose areas is attached. The complete list of the Fiscal Year 2010 CTAS grantees is available at the Department of Justice's Tribal Justice and Safety Web site - www.tribaljusticeandsafety.gov.

# # #

10-1029

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE USE THE CONTACTS IN THE MESSAGE OR CALL THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT 202-514-2007.

Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) Purpose Areas

1. Tribal Resources Grant Program - Improve public safety and enhance community policing capacity


2. Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Program - Prevent and reduce alcohol and substance abuse-related crimes


3. Tribal Courts Assistance Program - Develop and enhance the operation of Tribal justice systems


4. Correctional Facilities on Tribal Lands Program - Plan, renovate or construct correctional and/or correctional alternative facilities


5. Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program - Provide direct intervention and related assistance to victims of sexual assault


6. Tribal Governments Program - Tribal Governments Program - TGP - Enhance responses to violence committed against Indian women and girls


7. Tribal Elder Outreach Program - Provide community outreach and victim assistance services to address elder abuse


8. Tribal Youth Program - Prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system


9. Tribal Juvenile Accountability Discretionary Program - Enhance accountability for delinquent behavior


10. Tribal Youth Program - Develop new demonstration projects on violence prevention and rehabilitation