The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon could be the first in Indian Country to assert jurisdiction over non-Indians who commit domestic violence offenses.

The tribe already updated its legal system to adhere to standards in the Tribal Law and Order Act. So the tribe will only need to make a few more changes in order to investigate, prosecute and punish non-Indian offenders under S.47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

“I think, and I hope, it will make a very large difference,” Brent Leonhard, a tribal attorney, told PBS.

The law requires tribes to wait two years before asserting jurisdiction over non-Indians. But a provision allows individual tribes to petition the Department of Justice to expedite the process.

Get the Story:
For Tribes, Prosecuting Non-Native Abusers Still a Challenge (PBS 3/25)

Relevant Links:
Video of Signing Ceremony | Transcript of Remarks by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden

Related Stories:
'Kind Hearted Woman' follows Spirit Lake Nation abuse saga (3/25)