National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)

Tribal Code Development Checklist for Implementation of Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction

Year

This checklist (click to download) is designed as a tool to assist tribal governments seeking to develop tribal codes that implement special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction (SDVCJ) under section 904 of VAWA 2013.

Tribal governments will likely be amending existing criminal codes, and every tribe faces different circumstances, so tribes will need to work with an attorney to develop codes that are tailored to their unique needs. This checklist includes citations to existing tribal codes addressing provisions of the new law (Pascua Yaqui Tribal Codes; Umatilla Criminal Code; Tulalip Tribes; Eastern Band Cherokee).

Citation

National Congress of American Indians. Tribal Code Development Checklist for Implementation of Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction. National Congress of American Indians. Washington, D.C. August 2014. Tools. (https://tribalvawa.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/tribal-code-development-checklist-for-implementation-aug-20142.pdf, accessed February 15, 2024)

Tribal Nations and the United States: An Introduction

Year

Tens of millions of Indigenous peoples inhabited North America, and governed their complex societies, long before European governments sent explorers to seize lands and resources from the continent and its inhabitants. These foreign European governments interacted with tribes in diplomacy, commerce, culture, and war—acknowledging Indigenous systems of social, cultural, economic, and political governance.

Tribal nations have remained as political powers from the colonial period until today—engaging in commerce, trade, cultural exchange, and inspiring the principles of freedom and democracy enshrined in the US Constitution. As the United States formed a union, the founders acknowledged the sovereignty of tribal nations, alongside states, foreign nations, and the federal government in the US Constitution.

Tribal nations are part of the unique American family of governments, nations within a nation, as well as sovereign nations in the global community of nations.

Resource Type
Citation

National Congress of American Indians. Tribal Nations and the United States: An Introduction. National Congress of American Indians. Washington, D.C. January 15, 2015. Paper. (http://www.ncai.org/resources/ncai_publications/tribal-nations-and-the-u..., accessed January 20, 2015)

Leadership and Communications in Indian Country

Year

This four-page report outlines the key findings from interviews with five tribal leaders and tribal communications officers across the country. The conversations focused on exploring how communications helps in their daily work, how the communications playing field has changed over the years and how they have adapted, overcome barriers, and what the tools and activities are that make them more effective leaders and communicators...

Resource Type
Citation

National Congress of American Indians. "Leadership and Communications in Indian Country." National Congress of American Indians partnered with Pyramid Communications. Washington, D.C. 2010. Paper. (http://www.ncai.org/news/tribal-communicators-resources/NCAI_FindingsRep..., accessed January 13, 2014) 

Native Organizations: Working Together for Our Common Benefit

Year

On November 14, 2010, 45 people gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the NCAI's Annual Convention to participate in the pre-session: "Native Organizations; Working Together for Our Common Benefit." This twelve-page report outlines the key findings from this meeting - highlighting communications messaging best practices and strategies...

Resource Type
Citation

National Congress of American Indians. "Native Organizations: Working Together for Our Common Benefit." National Congress of American Indians partnered with Pyramid Communications. Washington, D.C. 2010. Paper. (http://www.ncai.org/news/tribal-communicators-resources/Native_Orgs_Work..., accessed January 13, 2014)

An Introduction to Indian Nations in the United States

Year

There are 562 federally recognized Indian Nations (variously called tribes, nations, bands, pueblos, communities, rancherias and native villages) in the United States. Approximately 229 of these ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse nations are located in Alaska; the rest are located in 33 other states.

The United States Constitution recognizes that Indian Nations are sovereign governments just like Canada and California. The Supreme Court, Congress, U.S. Presidents, and hundreds of treaties have repeatedly reaffirmed that Indian Nations retain their inherent powers of self-government. Treaties and laws have created a fundamental contract between Indian Nations and the United States: Indian Nations ceded millions of acres of land that made the United States what it is today, and in return received, among other guarantees, the right of continued self-government on their own lands.

Resource Type
Citation

"An Introduction to Indian Nations in the United States." National Congress of American Indians. Washington, D.C. 2003. Paper. (http://www.ncai.org/about-tribes/Indians_101.pdf, accessed December 4, 2013)

Securing Our Futures

Year

NCAI is releasing a Securing Our Futures report in conjunction with the 2013 State of Indian Nations. This report shows areas where tribes are exercising their sovereignty right now, diversifying their revenue base, and bringing economic success to their nations and surrounding communities. The path to securing our future – from education to food security, climate change to workforce development – is illuminated by the proven success of tribal nations. While the circumstances of each tribal nation are unique, the promising practices contained in the report offer a way forward to secure tribal economies and sustain prosperity for future generations...

Native Nations
Resource Type
Citation

National Congress of American Indians. "Securing Our Futures." National Congress of American Indians. Washington, D.C. February 2013. Report. (https://archive.ncai.org/Securing_Our_Futures_Final.pdf, accessed November 6, 2023)