Native Village of Barrow Tribal Courts 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 Native Village of Barrow is a Federally Recognized Tribe in northern Alaska, with 3,255 members. The tribe is applying for funding in categories 1 and 2, to serve 20 to 35 juveniles ages 12-17. The project's purpose is to implement a Wellness Program that will provide culturally sensitive interventions for court-involved youth.

The Juvenile Wellness program is an alternative program to the State of Alaska court system for juvenile offenders as well as referrals from diversion and probation. The program is based on the following three phases: Phase I is admission entrance and Court Orders; Phase II is the treatment Phase; and Phase III is the aftercare phase which consists of participant and parent group sessions. The goals of the project are as follows: 1)improve the juvenile justice system at Native Village of Barrow Tribal Courts; 2)create a Juvenile Coordinator position to implement juvenile justice programs; 3)expand and upgrade Tribal Court services to the public; and 4) track data results of the program. CA/NCF