Oglala Sioux Tribe Victim's Assistance in Indian Country

The Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST) Victim's Assistance in Indian Country (VAIC) has served American Indian crime victims on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota for the past 15 years. VAIC provides victims of violent crime and their families with a variety of services, including assistance in navigating the legal process, obtaining medical and psychological treatment, and helping families meet their needs in the aftermath of violence and trauma. 

The program consists of only four staff members who go above and beyond the call of duty and find innovative ways to provide services to the entire reservation, which spans nine districts and has a total population of more than 45,000. The list of accomplishments for the territory is extensive. 

The team at VAIC provides immediate assistance to victims, whether it is at the center, at the court, or locating a runaway child. This past year, VAIC staff worked to establish new laws and protocols regarding cases in which a child sexually assaults another child. 

They lobbied for protocols that would address the needs of the child victim and would implement treatment programs for the child offender. They also created working partnerships with the OST court system and public safety department to ensure quicker victim identification following a violent crime. 

The program has changed victims' attitudes toward the legal process and made the process less intimidating by using an approach guided by compassion and kindness. VAIC has raised awareness of these crimes on the reservation and helped victims seek help as well as ensure that offenders receive punishment. 

The Oglala Sioux Tribe Victim's Assistance in Indian Country was nominated by Carolyn G. Royce, Assistant United States Attorney, Rapid City, Idaho.