FY09 Tribal Youth Program - Fort Belknap

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.

This program proposes strategies designed to 1)reduce rates of juvenile crime; 2)enhance the juvenile justice system; 3)enhance the community's capacity to strengthen collaborative partnerships with youth-serving agencies; and 4)utilize a youth court program to engage diversion with identified youth. This program will be based on selected category 3, Improving the Tribal Justice System, and will target youth ages 12 to 17 years of age who have become involved with the tribal juvenile justice authorities and who are at risk of recidivism to the juvenile justice system. Activities include: 1)engaging in a 6 month planning period to recruit volunteers; 2)expanding the juvenile justice system by hiring one juvenile probation officer, one youth court coordinator, and facilitating training and technical assistance to court staff; 3)designing the youth court program using cultural-based techniques, education and training that include monthly sessions; and 4)incorporate a Juvenile Justice Task Force to serve as policy advisors and links to youth services.

Data on required performance measures will be collected by the juvenile probation officer and reported to the OJJDP through the OJJDP online system. The tribal service population for Fort Belknap is 6,304 with the Tribal Council serving as the governing body and has passed tribal resolution #83-2009 in support of this application. CA/NCF