Title 25IndiansRelease 119-73

§3612 Survey of tribal judicial systems

Title 25 › Chapter CHAPTER 38— - INDIAN TRIBAL JUSTICE SUPPORT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - TRIBAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS › § 3612

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must, within six months after December 3, 1993, hire a non‑Federal group to survey tribal justice systems and Courts of Indian Offenses. The survey must find what resources and funding, including basic support, are needed for fast and effective justice. The Secretary must update the survey every year. Each annual survey must describe local conditions for each tribe, including area and population served, how the justice system works, case load size and complexity, facilities (including jails) and program resources, funding and staffing needs, and training and technical help needed. The hired group must work with tribes, let tribes review and comment before the final report, and then send the final findings and tribal comments to the Secretary, the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate, and the Subcommittee on Native American Affairs of the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.

Full Legal Text

Title 25, §3612

Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than six months after December 3, 1993, the Secretary, in consultation with Indian tribes, shall enter into a contract with a non-Federal entity to conduct a survey of conditions of tribal justice systems and Courts of Indian Offenses to determine the resources and funding, including base support funding, needed to provide for expeditious and effective administration of justice. The Secretary, in like manner, shall annually update the information and findings contained in the survey required under this section.
(b)In the course of any annual survey, the non-Federal entity shall document local conditions of each Indian tribe, including, but not limited to—
(1)the geographic area and population to be served;
(2)the levels of functioning and capacity of the tribal justice system;
(3)the volume and complexity of the caseloads;
(4)the facilities, including detention facilities, and program resources available;
(5)funding levels and personnel staffing requirements for the tribal justice system; and
(6)the training and technical assistance needs of the tribal justice system.
(c)The non-Federal entity shall actively consult with Indian tribes and tribal organizations in the development and conduct of the surveys, including updates thereof, under this section. Indian tribes and tribal organizations shall have the opportunity to review and make recommendations regarding the findings of the survey, including updates thereof, prior to final publication of the survey or any update thereof. After Indian tribes and tribal organizations have reviewed and commented on the results of the survey, or any update thereof, the non-Federal entity shall report its findings, together with the comments and recommendations of the Indian tribes and tribal organizations, to the Secretary, the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate, and the Subcommittee on Native American Affairs of the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Change of Name

Subcommittee on Native American Affairs changed to Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

25 U.S.C. § 3612

Title 25Indians

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73