Delinquency prevention provided to Tribal Youth ages 6-17 through participation in organized sports through Inter Tribal Sports, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization.

Part of the Indian Country Law Enforcement Initiative, a joint initiative of DOJ and the U.S. Department of the Interior to improve law enforcement and the administration of criminal and juvenile justice in Indian country, OJJDP's Tribal Youth Program (TYP) supports and enhances tribal efforts to prevent and control delinquency and strengthen the juvenile justice system for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth. This program is authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended and the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2009, Pub. L. 111-8.

The Pauma Band of Mission Indians is a Federally Recognized Tribe, and is applying for the Tribal Youth Program grant on behalf of a consortium of tribes that make up Inter Tribal Sports, Inc., a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. The total service population for the project is 6,531. The project is to develop and implement a direct service delinquency prevention program, providing year-round organized youth sports opportunities to youth ages 6-17 on 30 reservations throughout southern California. Approximately 700 youth will be served during the four year project period. Basketball, softball, and flag football seasons, each 11 weeks in length, will be the foundation of the program. Participating tribes organize teams through their education or recreation programs, will hold practices on their own reservations during after school hours, and play games against each other at facilities located on host reservations. Additional enrichment and prevention opportunities will be provided through camps, coaching clinics, outings, cultural activities, and special events.

The project goals are as follows. 1) Alleviate boredom, reduce excessive idle time, and promote social development for at-risk youth through participation in organized sports. 2) Instill traditional values and promote desirable behavior through cultural education and awareness. 3) Promote positive interaction between youth from all participating tribes and instill mutual respect to foster the development of long-lasting friendships. 4) Ensure that qualified adult volunteers and former participants are recruited and trained to serve as role models for participating youth.

There will be several performance measures tracked, including the number of youth/families served, number of service hours completed by youth/families, percent of youth who offend/re-offend, and percent of youth who exhibit desired change in target behaviors. CA/NCF