The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022) introduced the Alaska Pilot Program, which will enable Alaska Tribes to criminally prosecute non-Indians for specific crimes committed in their Villages. The primary purpose of the Alaska Inter-Tribal Technical Assistance Working Group (AK ITWG) is to bring together Alaska Tribes to collectively work toward enhancing safety and justice in Tribal communities with a particular emphasis on considering and preparing for the exercise of Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction (STCJ).
Register for the 3rd Alaska ITWG Meeting
We are pleased to announce that registration for the 3rd Alaska Inter-Tribal Technical Assistance Working Group (AK ITWG) meeting is now open!
When: September 22-23, 2025 | 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Where: Southcentral Foundation’s Nuka Learning Institute, 4085 Tudor Centre Dr, Anchorage, AK 99508
The Alaska ITWG is a voluntary working group of tribal representatives who exchange views, information, and advice on how Alaska Tribes may best plan for and implement tribal criminal jurisdiction over non-Natives, combat domestic violence, recognize victims’ rights and safety needs, and safeguard defendants’ rights. This peer-to-peer technical assistance covers a broad set of issues, such as:
- drafting strong tribal criminal codes and victim-centered protocols and policies,
- assessing and improving public safety systems,
- reviewing models of tribal law enforcement,
- understanding full faith and credit for protection orders,
- analyzing detention and correctional options for non-Natives,
- and more.
This two-day meeting will be held in Anchorage at Southcentral Foundation’s Nuka Learning Institute in the Tribal Drum Room. All Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Alaska (STCJ AK) awards are pre-approved to attend. Travel expenses, including airfare and lodging, must be pre-approved by the grant award agency if using federal funds; other DOJ OVW awards must obtain approval from their OVW Grants Management Specialist prior to booking travel. Multiple representatives from the same Tribe or organization must submit their own registration.
Questions? Please contact the Alaska Native Justice Center at AlaskaITWG@anjc.net or call 907-793-3550.
AK ITWG Objectives
The objectives of the AK ITWG include:
1. Peer-to-Peer Collaboration: Through participation in the AK ITWG, Tribes engage in peer-to-peer collaboration, in an environment where Tribes can share experiences, insights, materials, forms, and successful strategies, and build a supportive network of Tribes addressing public safety concerns.
2. Technical Assistance: The AK ITWG serves as a resource hub, providing Tribes with technical assistance, knowledge, and resources from Alaska justice system experts on public safety and justice system development.
3. Challenges Identification and Resolution: The AK ITWG serves as a Tribal forum to collectively identify public safety challenges faced by Alaska Tribes and to develop targeted solutions and strategies to overcome obstacles hindering the effective establishment and operation of Tribal justice systems and the implementation of STCJ.
4. Preparation for Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: A central focus of the AK ITWG is to support Tribes deciding whether and how to implement the Alaska-specific provisions of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022), which created the VAWA 2022 Alaska Pilot Program. More information about the Pilot Program, which will enable Alaska Tribes to criminally prosecute non-Indians for specific crimes committed in their Villages, is available here.
5. Funding Opportunities: The AK ITWG assists Tribes in identifying and accessing funding opportunities to support the implementation and improvement of Tribal justice systems, with a particular emphasis on preparing for the exercise of STCJ.
For more information about joining the Alaska ITWG or attending an upcoming meeting, contact AlaskaITWG@anjc.net.
Participating Tribes
There are currently 20 Alaska Native Tribes in Track 1 and five Tribes in Track 2 of the Alaska Pilot Project.
Track 2 Tribes:
- Chickaloon Native Village
- Organized Village of Kake
- Craig Tribal Association
- Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes
- Native Village of Dot Lake
Helpful Links:
- VAWA Provisions Clarifying AK Tribal Authority
- Purpose of the Alaska ITWG
- ANJC Tribal Alert DOJ Memo on Concurrent Jurisdiction
- ANJC ITWG Travel Reimbursement Request Form
- US Census Alaska Native Village Statistical Area (ANVSA) Maps
This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-23-GK-05462-MUMU awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice.
