Support of 2011 DOJ Legislation in Anticipation of Reauthorization of VAWA
Submitted by: Indian Country Section
ind.010.A11

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)-Indian Country Law Enforcement Section is comprised of executive officers from tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the United States.

WHEREAS, these officers are sworn to protect the people residing within their respective tribal communities, with an emphasis placed on protecting Native American women and children.

WHEREAS, Native American women are victims of violent crimes at a rate disproportionately higher than any other ethnic group in the United States, with studies revealing that one third of Native women will be raped during their lifetimes and nearly 3 out of 5 will be assaulted by their spouses or intimate partners.

WHEREAS, the current jurisdictional framework has such large gaps, it has perpetuated the cycle of violence, leaving many serious acts of violence against Native women unprosecuted and/or unpunished.

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently proposed legislation to Congress which would significantly assist in combating violence against Native women residing within their respective tribal communities at the same time strengthening provisions within the Violence Against Women Act.

WHEREAS, this proposed legislation would make tribal communities safer by holding perpetrators, both Indian and non-Indian alike, accountable for their violent criminal acts against Native women by closing jurisdictional gaps which continue to enable a dangerous cycle of violence; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED that IACP-Indian Country Law Enforcement Section fully supports recently proposed DOJ legislation submitted to Congress which protects Native women within their tribal communities by: -recognizing certain tribes' concurrent jurisdiction to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence both Indians and non-Indians who assault their Native women spouses, intimate partners, or dating partners; -clarifying that tribal courts have full civil jurisdiction to issue and enforce certain protection orders against both Indian and non-Indians alike; -amending the Federal Criminal Code to provide a 10-year offense for assaulting a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner by strangling or suffocating; a 5-year offense for an assault resulting in bodily injury; and a 1-year offense for an assault by striking, beating, or wounding