Blue Lake Rancheria Justice Center Project

The Department of Justice developed a comprehensive and coordinated approach for tribal governments to apply for funding to reduce and prevent crime and victimization. Through this process, the Department's existing tribal government-specific programs are included in, and available through a single Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS). Through this solicitation, only one application was accepted from each federally recognized tribe to encourage comprehensive assessments of need and planning. Each tribe could apply for funding under nine purpose areas, which included funding from the Office of Community Oriented Policing, Office of Justice Programs (including the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office for Victims of Crime, and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention), and Office on Violence Against Women. The tribe had the flexibility to select the purpose areas whose funding addressed the needs of the tribe as outlined in its tribal and community profile. There were nine purpose areas in total, and purpose area 4 was dedicated to the Tribal Justice Systems Infrastructure Program (TJSIP).

Funding through the Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program will support efforts to renovate or expand buildings to enhance conditions or to change the use of a building to any of the following purposes: single jurisdiction or regional tribal correctional facilities, correctional alternative facilities, multipurpose justice centers (including police departments, courts, and corrections), and transitional living facilities (halfway houses) to address justice-involved populations within tribal jurisdictions. Funding will also support the building of prefabricated or permanent modular facilities where there are no existing permanent structures available or sufficient to address the tribe’s justice system infrastructure needs.

The grantee will use these funds for a Tribal Justice Center modular building. The justice center will house both the Tribal Court and Tribal Police Department. The Tribal Court section of the facility will include a court room, judge's chambers and a clerk's office. The Tribal Police Department section of the facility will include offices, an evidence room, an armory, a holding cell and a social services office for crime victims.
CA/NCF