Native American Communities Justice Project (NACJP)

Addressing court related issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and teen dating violence has been a major policy priority of the Judicial Council of California's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) for over twenty years. As a continuation of those efforts, in October 2008, the CFCC launched a short-term project designed to enhance access to and improve the administration of justice for Native American victims of family violence. Drawing on community expertise and guidance, this project engaged Native American communities in identifying needs relating to family violence. The project involved collaborating with tribes and community members to gather information about, and develop strategies to address the needs of Native American victims of family violence.

For more information on this project, please contact cfcc@jud.ca.gov. A CD of resources was compiled as a result of the NACJP. If you are interested in obtaining a CD of resources from this project, please contact: Vida Castaneda at vida.castaneda@jud.ca.gov or 415-865-7874.

As a result of this project, the AOC published two companion reports-one focusing on the research and one on policy:

• Native American Communities Justice Project: Beginning the Dialogue: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, & Teen-Dating Violence
  
  Policy Paper
  
  The policy paper provides a California lens on what we know to be a national public safety crisis in tribal communities and helps to ensure that tribal voices inform the direction state courts take to address that crisis. The policy report reviews the history and prevalence of family violence in Native American communities, describes the project goals, summarizes the research findings, and identifies the next steps taken by the AOC in response.
  
  Research Report
  The research findings inform the policy direction of the state courts, and represents the experiences and wisdom of over 500 Native Americans concerned about family violence in their communities and constitute the most comprehensive look at this issue in California to date. The research report compiles the information shared during tribal community meetings into separate themes and lists problems and solutions identified by meeting participants under each theme.
   
• Written Questions and Answers from Community Meetings