By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department will allocate 33 new assistant U.S. Attorneys to address crime in Indian Country in 21 judicial districts across the nation.
Additionally, the Justice Department has launched three Indian Country Prosecution Teams that will work closely with the Indian community.
“Violent crimes, and particularly crimes against women and girls, continue to devastate tribal communities across the country, and the U.S. Attorney community is crucial to the Department of Justice’s response,” Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. said.
“With 33 more federal prosecutors headed to Indian Country, and the launch of three new Community Prosecution Pilot Projects, we have made significant progress finding and implementing solutions to the public safety challenges confronting tribal communities. This Administration is committed to reducing the level of violent crime in tribal communities.”
Each of the community prosecution pilot projects will have one prosecutor and one victim-witness position. The projects will be implemented in the Navajo nation in New Mexico; the Oglala Sioux Tribe on Pine Ridge Reservation; and the Menominee Indian Tribe in Wisconsin.
