Sun'aq Youth Advocacy Project

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 Sun'aq Youth Advocacy Project seeks to prevent delinquency of Alaska Native high school age youth in the city of Kodiak, Alaska through three strategies: 1)provide advocacy and delinquency prevention outreach for 25-40 youth in our schools and our establishing juvenile justice system; 2)provide culturally-based youth activities for 25-40 youth to strengthen tribal identity and provide healthy lifestyle alternatives; and 3)engage in comprehensive strategic planning to sustain and grow Sun'aq's tribal youth services. The Sun'aq prevention project directly corresponds to Category 1 of the OJJDP Tribal Youth Program, as the project intends to provide prevention services to impact risk factors for delinquency of their tribal youth, including truancy prevention efforts, and after-school activities. The Sun'aq youth program will provide services out of the Tribal Community Center with after-school, year-round activities at various town and land locations. CA/NCF