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Tribal Attorney Tela Troge, Chairman of the Shinnecock Nation Tribal Trustees Bryan Polite and Tribal Attorney Kelly Dennis.
The Shinnecock Indian Nation will be able to expand its justice system and better serve crime victims, thanks to two grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Nation was awarded a total of $820,922 under the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation grant.
Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation is made up of 10 separate programs, also called purpose areas, that can be applied for via one application by federally recognized tribes. In 2019, there were 10 different purpose areas, and in 2020 there will be eight.
The Shinnecock Nation had applied for CTAS grants in the past. In 2016, the Nation received a $75,000 grant under purpose area two: comprehensive tribal justice systems strategic planning.
The grant that was awarded in 2016 lasted three years. Tribal Attorney Tela Troge said it helped begin the process of developing a strategic plan for a comprehensive tribal justice system. This included traditional methods for the Nation such as talking circles, peacekeeping, and being proactive with incarceration and substance abuse.
This year, the Nation was awarded funds for two purpose areas. The first is purpose area six — Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities; the award was $450,000. The second is purpose area seven — Tribal Victim Services Program — and the award was $370,922.
The Nation is still submitting for the other purpose areas of the grant.
“It’s a beautiful thing to be able to sit down and have a conversation about how would we like to see our justice system work,” said Tribal Communications Director Autumn Rose Williams. “Being a Shinnecock and black woman, I have seen firsthand how the United States Justice System does not benefit or protect me. It’s a privilege to be able to really create something specifically for us by us.”
Purpose area six, created by the Office for Victims of Crime — a crime victim support organization under the U.S. Department of Justice — improves the investigation of criminal child sex abuse cases. Purpose area seven improves services to all victims of crimes.
These improvements can be the availability of investigators, mental health professionals or prosecutors for crime victims cases. The grant funds can be used to hire such professionals and provide education, awareness and outreach within the Nation.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the grant funds do not allow for the construction of new buildings, services for criminal offenders or primary crime prevention activities.
The Nation has not yet determined the specifics of the programs that will be funded by the new grants.
“Right now, we’re in the process of creating how we want our justice system to operate, what aspects will be included and all those early steps,” Ms. Williams said.
