Today, Congressman Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville) announced the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will receive more than $1.5 million from the Department of Justice’s Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) for three important programs.
“Tribes across the United States, including the Eastern Band, established the first legal systems and judicial processes in our lands, and I am honored to be a part of a government that recognizes their primacy and continued effectiveness,” said Rep. Shuler. “I congratulate the Eastern Band on winning three outstanding grant awards.”
In addition to $750,000 for the Eastern Band’s Tribal Governments Program, they will also receive $375,130 for the development and enhancement of Tribal Justice Systems. Additionally, to prevent and control delinquency and improve the Juvenile Justice System, they were awarded $487,496. Out of $127 million of grant money allocated to American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments and tribal consortia, the Eastern Band is receiving $1,603,626.
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Background (from the Department of Justice):
CTAS is a unique collaboration among the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). CTAS was created in response to the Attorney General’s National Listening Session and tribal consultation sessions. The CTAS included ten purpose areas from the Department’s three components that were combined into a single grant solicitation.
- Tribal Resources Grant Program – TRGP - Improve public safety and enhance community policing capacity
- Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Program – IASAP - Prevent and reduce alcohol and substance abuse-related crimes
- Tribal Courts Assistance Program –TCAP - Develop and enhance the operation of tribal justice systems
- Correctional Facilities on Tribal Lands Program – CFTL - Plan, renovate or construct correctional and/or correctional alternative facilities
- Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program- TSASP - Provide direct intervention and related assistance to victims of sexual assault
- Tribal Governments Program - TGP - Enhance responses to violence committed against Indian women and girls
- Tribal Elder Outreach Program - Provide community outreach and victim assistance services to address elder abuse
- Tribal Youth Program - TYP - Prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system
- Tribal Juvenile Accountability Discretionary Program- TJADG - Enhance accountability for delinquent behavior
- Tribal Youth Program - TYP - Develop new demonstration projects on violence prevention and rehabilitation