UKB TYP Project

Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. launched a Department-wide initiative on public safety and victim services in Tribal communities. As part of this effort, Department of Justice (DOJ) leadership conducted a series of meetings across the country addressing violent crime in Tribal communities. As a result, DOJ developed the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, combining DOJ's existing Tribal government-specific competitive solicitations into one, and thus requiring only one application from each Tribe or Tribal consortium. This approach provides federally-recognized Tribes and Tribal consortia the opportunity to develop a comprehensive approach to public safety and victimization issues. This award was selected under Purpose Area #8, Prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system (OJJDP-Tribal Youth Program - TYP), CFDA #16.731, authorized under the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010, Division B, Title II, Public Law 111-117, 123 Stat. 3122, 3134.

The United Keetoowah Band (UKB) of Cherokee Indians seeks to provide prevention services that impact risk factors for youth. Goals of the project are to decrease the number of program youth who are arrested or rearrested and to decrease the number of youth who engage in substance abuse, antisocial behavior, truancy, and drop out of school. The project will provide interventions for court-involved Tribal youth. The Cherokee County Regimented Educational Academy (CCREA), is a collaborative effort of the UKB Tribe, OJA, judges, County Commissioners, the school district, and other agencies to divert adjudicated youth and prevent re-arrests providing a "boot school" (CCREA) controlled program that provides students with individualized education by a certified teacher, mentoring, and social services needed to intervene with those youth who have been arrested or are not attending school. Friday Night Lights (FNL) will provide a 4 hour "mini-boot camp," for adjudicated youth and for parents who wish to send their 13-17 year old to this program that teaches youth to respect themselves and others. Alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs will be provided to all members through the research based "Smart Moves." All CCREA cadets attend daily Reconnecting Youth (RY) classes. This program teaches youth how to improve their decision making skills and provides them with specific tools to help them stay drug free. Alcohol Anonymous meetings are held on site. All cadets are routinely drug-tested and appear before the judge bi-weekly to review their progress and drug test results. This program will also provide mental health program services to youth. The data collection will be ongoing and reviewed quarterly. In addition, surveys of parents, youth, and other project participants will be used to collect qualitative data to be reviewed and included in the evaluation reports.

CA/NCF