United States Attorney S. Lane Tucker has announced that Alaska is now designated as a jurisdiction of focus under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA). This decision was made by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Tucker emphasized the importance of this designation: “Alaska’s inclusion in VAWA provides significant resources for the District of Alaska’s ongoing work to reduce violence against women and children and promote rural justice in Alaska. This work, along with our successful efforts to reduce the flow of illegal narcotics into our State, and to find and prosecute white collar criminals who exploit our most vulnerable, is a tribute to the hard-working women and men of this United States Attorney’s Office.”
Tucker further expressed gratitude towards law enforcement partners and community members involved in these initiatives: “Serving with them in our work to uphold the rule of law and pursue justice fairly and equitably has been the honor of a lifetime. Thank you to our law enforcement partners and to the community members who work with us in these efforts, and to my U.S. Attorney colleagues for their tireless efforts all across the country.”