FY 2009 Tribal Youth Program

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 Kenaitze Indian Tribe in Kenai, Alaska has a service population of 1,224. This program seeks to improve the Tribal Juvenile Justice System for those 17 and younger. A Tribal family services center will provide direct intervention for 25 juveniles per year, and education and outreach participation for 75 juveniles per year. The project will support further development of a recently established Tribal Youth Circle program, which addresses various kinds of trouble commonly faced by Native youth. The Circle is a form of restorative decision-making based on indigenous traditions and principles which are distinct from standard practices in existing non-native systems. This approach is both preventive and responsive. The program accepts referrals for direct intervention from various Tribal and State agencies, as well as from families or the individual youths themselves. In addition, the program provides non-intervention services including education in Circle concepts and practices, outreach to target populations, and opportunities to participate as volunteers in intervention Circles for others. These non-intervention services are typically provided to various youth groups, school students, summer programs, and friends/siblings of direct-intervention youth. The Kenaitze Tribal Council endorsed this grant application through a resolution signed on 5/22/09. CA/NCF