Indian Law and Order Commission supports tribal authority

Tuesday, November 12, 2013  

UPDATE: The report can be found at www.indianlawandordercommission.com/report.

Tribal governments should be able to prosecute all people for crimes that occur on their lands, the Indian Law and Order Commission says in a report being released today.

Tribes exercise criminal jurisdiction over all Indians. But their authority over non-Indians is limited to certain domestic violence offenses under S.47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.

That could change if Congress heeds the recommendations of the commission. The report, “Strengthening Justice for Native America: A roadmap,” is being released today during a press conference at the Washington Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The commission was created by the Tribal Law and Order Act in 2010. The chairman is Troy Eid, who was the first sitting U.S. Attorney to advocate for a recognition of tribal authority over all criminal defendants.

Get the Story:
Commission’s report addresses gaps in public safety on American Indian reservations (AP 11/12)

Indian Law and Order Commission releases public safety report (11/6)