This article presents the findings of an impact evaluation of the Services-Training-Officers-Prosecutors (STOP) Violence Against Indian Women (VAIW) grant program in 25 tribal communities.
Overall, results of the evaluations indicated that the STOP VAIW programs were making a significant impact toward reducing the amount of violence against women in Indian communities. Recommendations are offered for STOP program improvements that include the enhancement of victim services and the development of batterer intervention programs. The STOP funding raised community awareness of the prevalence of violence against women and promoted different approaches for reducing violence among Indian women. STOP funding went toward police training, arrest policies, protective orders, and case disposition improvements. New approaches to emergency shelters were adopted, innovative approaches to tribal prosecution were implemented, and the response of community services was coordinated to offer continuous care. These recommendations were forwarded to the National Institute of Justice as a means of enhancing tribal STOP VAIW programs. Evaluation methodology relied on surveys, open-ended interviews, case studies, and documentation supplied by the programs in 25 tribal communities. Site visits were conducted in 25 tribal communities over a 4-year study period. Notes, references