Native American Youth Resource Program

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.

Ponca Tribe of Nebraska has developed a Strategic Plan which gives top priority to families assisting youth achieve healthy lives. The staff hired will implement best practice for reducing violence and criminal offenses in juvenile populations and the Project Venture curriculum. The project goals are to provide prevention services to impact risk factors for delinquency by developing a referral system to assist in the identification of youth at-risk and providing positive weekly activities that promote delinquency prevention. Further, the program aspires to improve the Tribal Court and local municipality's ability to better serve youth before they are involved in criminal delinquency. This will be accomplished through having Native American Youth Resource Coordinators serve individuals youth each quarter, and by conducting quarterly meetings with the Law and Justice Committee. Community members' input and feedback will be welcomed via Reconnection Plans, and Community surveys at trainings and community events where comment cards will be solicited. All data gathered about project effectiveness will be utilized to secure other funding sources.
CA/NCF