The Tundra Drums interviewed Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and asked about the Tribal Law and Order Act and its effect on Alaska. The interview took place on July 22, after the House passed the bill.

"Q: What about the (recently passed) Tribal Law and Order Act, could that be a solution to help some of the suicides in the region?

Sen. Murkowski: The Tribal Law and Order Act I think we'll find will be very beneficial to tribes in the Lower 48. We have some pieces contained in that legislation which will be helpful for us.

We have a piece that allows for additional training for VPSOs at the New Mexico academy. It allows for state and tribal organizations to utilize the Community Oriented Policing grants. Those will be made available to us in the villages and as we talk about law enforcement. The availability of funding has been an issue so the ability to enhance that will help.

The piece that may make a difference is what we'll try do through the study of sexual assault and domestic violence, in terms of determining where the gaps are in the collection of forensic evidence.

Anyone who has experienced any kind of sexual assault, domestic violence, you want to move to act on it but if the evidence has not been collected -- because it's as simple as not having a rape kit in a village -- then the individual is violated once by the perpetrator, then violated a second time knowing this system doesn't allow for a prosecution and consequence to those that perpetrated the crime.

So we look at these and they are small pieces, but when you look at those things that contribute to a sense of hopelessness, of defeat, discouragement and depression, some of them can be exacerbated because you don't have that support in a community and when I say support, it is a law enforcement presence.

Is it the panacea? There is no silver bullet out there. But it can help and that's why we worked to include those amendments in there."

Get the Story:
Murkowski interview: Senator touches on Bethel visit, tribal law and order (The Tundra Drums 7/29)

Indian Arts and Crafts Amendments Act:
H.R.725

Tribal Law and Order Act:
S.797 | H.R.1924

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