Yakama Nation Law Enforcement Based Victims Services Program

The purpose of this award, funded under the Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program for the tribal portion of the OVC FY 2019 Law Enforcement-Based Victim Specialist Program, is to develop or enhance crime victim specialist programs within law enforcement agencies to better support victims through the criminal justice process including connecting them with community-based direct victim services programs to more quickly and more effectively serve them.
The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation will enhance its Victim Resource Program (VRP) within the Law Enforcement Program. This enhancement will better support victims through the criminal justice process by connecting them with community-based direct services programs to quickly and effectively serve them, a referral process to victim assistance and compensation programs, and informing them of their rights as crime victims. Yakama Nation members face many barriers in accessing services because of high poverty levels, which prohibits modern basic necessities such as telecommunication services; geographic location and isolation is prevalent and lack of transportation is common amongst Yakama members. These underserved populations are the most victimized because of these lack of resources alone. CA/NCF