Kalispel Tribal Justice System Program

The Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel reservation is a federally recognized tribe located in Usk, Washington. With this funding the Kalispel Tribe will hire a staff attorney dedicated as a code reviser to update the Kalispel Tribal Law and Order Code. A comprehensive review of the code is needed to ensure an approach to legislative drafting that is not a piece meal and fragmented. Based on changes in federal law and tribal needs, the current tribal code is insufficient to institutionalize the broader scope of authority and victim protection now afforded to the tribe. A staff attorney dedicated to code revision will allow for stakeholder coordination and collaboration necessary to draft new laws, make existing law revisions, and create ready-to-use forms for implementation. Stakeholders include the Kalispel Tribal Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committee, the tribe's Camas Health Board, the Kalispel Victim Services Department, local law enforcement agencies and health boards, and local school districts. Multidisciplinary team partners include: the U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations, federal Victim Witness Coordinators, Kalispel Tribal Police, Kalispel Indian Child Welfare Program, and the Kalispel Adult Protective Services Program. The dedicated code reviser will focus on an overhaul of the adult criminal code to enable enhanced sentencing, and aid in the development of a juvenile criminal code. Given recent developments in federal law, an overhaul of both the probate code and the domestic relations code is likewise imperative. In addition to the much-needed code drafting, other deliverables will include new procedures for records and the drafting of forms for the Tribal Court to ensure successful implementation of new laws.