Chapter 7
Implementing Tribal Youth Initiatives

Tribal communities across the nation face many formidable challenges. Although the difficulties that affect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities are similar to those in many other areas, some problems are especially pervasive among tribal populations.¹⁰ These problems include disproportionately high levels of violent victimization, child abuse and neglect, youth gang involvement, and cooccurrence of alcohol use and offending. In addition, tribal youth are exposed to a variety of risk factors that increase their chances of becoming involved in delinquency and violent offending. Furthermore, many tribal communities lack adequate resources for families and youth and for the social services and law enforcement agencies that serve them. For the past several years, OJJDP has made addressing these problems a priority and has been working with tribes to enhance Indian country law enforcement and improve the quality of life in tribal communities.

For many years, OJJDP assisted AI/AN tribes through the passthrough of Formula Grants program funds by the states to Indian tribes, discretionary grant funds, and training and technical assistance. In 1999, Congress established the Tribal Youth Program (TYP), the first federal program dedicated solely to the overall goals of preventing and controlling juvenile crime in AI/AN communities and improving tribal juvenile justice systems. Administered by OJJDP, TYP was created through the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–77) and is part of the Indian Country Law Enforcement Improvement Initiative. This 4-year federal initiative was established in 1999 by DOJ and the U.S. Department of the Interior to address the need for improved law enforcement and administration of criminal and juvenile justice in Indian country.

During FY 2002, OJJDP supported five broad program areas designed to help tribes address juvenile crime:

• Tribal Youth Program.
  
  
• Tribal Youth Program Mental Health Initiative.
  
  
• Federal Comprehensive Indian Resources for Community and Law Enforcement (CIRCLE).
  
  
• Training and Technical Assistance.
  
  
• Research and Evaluation.

In addition to these specific program areas, which are discussed in detail in this chapter, many other OJJDP activities include tribal components. For example, OJJDP funding is helping three tribal communities establish Children's Advocacy Centers , which develop multidisciplinary programs to address child abuse and neglect cases. Two tribal sites are participating in the Safe Start Initiative, which is helping communities develop comprehensive programs to assist children exposed to violence.

OJJDP also is helping tribal communities address disproportionately high levels of alcohol abuse through its Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center (UDETC), discussed in Chapter 4. UDETC's 2002 leadership conference included a series of workshops that focused on Indian country issues. The center also expanded its training curriculum to include specialized training for American Indians, held four audio teleconferences that addressed tribal issues, and began developing a document about Indian country law enforcement and the challenges of enforcing underage drinking laws.

In addition, OJJDP works with local, state, and tribal law enforcement professionals through the Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Program. Another important accomplishment during FY 2002 was a new survey conducted by the National Youth Gang Center to provide reliable information about youth gangs in Indian country.

The programs highlighted in this chapter represent the range of issues facing many tribal communities and OJJDP's multifaceted approach to providing federal resources and assistance. Together, these initiatives have the potential to help build a better future for AI/AN youth and their families.

Tribal Youth Program

Congress established the Tribal Youth Program (TYP) in 1999 to help tribal communities address their rising rates of juvenile delinquency and crime. OJJDP manages TYP, which provides funds directly to tribal communities to develop juvenile delinquency prevention and control programs, reduce violent crime by and against tribal youth, and improve juvenile justice systems.

In FY 2002, OJJDP awarded 43 TYP grants to tribes in 20 states (see list). Grant awards ranged from $136,057 to $500,000, depending on the size of the total AI/AN service population living on or near a particular reservation. The FY 2002 grants bring to 145 the total number of TYP grants awarded since 1999. The new FY 2002 grantees were competitively selected from 68 applications. Eligible applicants included federally recognized tribes, consortiums of tribes, and corporations that represent Alaska Native villages.

Tribes are using their grants for a variety of activities. For example:

• The Navajo Nation, Window Rock, AZ, through its Haznojhi Youth Diversion project, is incorporating traditional and western education and therapy in an intensive 3-week diversion program for court-involved youth and their families. Participants receive information and training on topics such as communication, drug and alcohol abuse, juvenile crime and its consequences, the impact of crime on victims and the community, and the Navajo view of offenses against the community.
  
  
• The Wampanoag Tribe, located in rural Aquinnah, MA, on the island of Martha's Vineyard, is establishing the Wampanoag Youth Program to engage at-risk youth in culturally appropriate activities. The program has targeted 41 tribal youth who have been referred by the juvenile court or who are considered to be at risk of entering the juvenile justice system. Activities will include alcohol and drug abuse prevention education and cultural events such as tribal powwows, nature walks, storytelling, and drumming and dance shows.
  
  
• The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Atmore, AL, a rural reservation that encompasses four southern Alabama counties and Florida's Escambia County, is developing a project to address the needs of a target population of approximately 660 at-risk youth. The project will emphasize the incorporation of traditional tribal cultural teachings and will include delinquency prevention activities, an afterschool program, and intervention and prevention services in local schools.

TYP Mental Health Initiative

The TYP Mental Health Initiative was implemented in 2000 to promote mental health and substance abuse (alcohol and drug abuse) services for AI/AN youth involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, tribal and/or state juvenile justice systems. The initiative also supports juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention efforts that help tribes develop and implement culturally sensitive mental health programs. The initiative is part of the Mental Health and Community Safety Initiative for American Indian/Alaska Native Children, Youth, and Families, developed by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, the Interior, and Justice.

Funding from the TYP Mental Health Initiative helps tribes provide programs and services that address the mental health and related needs of AI/AN youth and their families in various community settings, such as schools, violence prevention programs, healthcare programs, and the juvenile justice system. Grant funds can be used to:

• Reduce, control, and prevent crime and delinquency committed by and against AI/AN youth.
  
  
• Provide interventions for court-involved tribal youth.
  
  
• Improve juvenile justice systems.
  
  
• Provide programs that focus on alcohol and drugs.

In FY 2002, OJJDP awarded 5 new TYP Mental Health Initiative grants, bringing to 16 the number of grants awarded since FY 2000. The new grants total $950,000; individual awards range from $125,000 to $300,000, depending on the size of the total AI/AN service population living on or near a particular reservation.

The new grantees were competitively selected from 16 applications received from tribes in 8 states. The FY 2002 Mental Health Initiative grants were awarded to Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Siletz, OR; Eastern Aleutian Tribes, Inc., of Anchorage, AK; Mount Sanford Tribal Consortium of Gakona, AK; Osage Nation of Pawhuska, OK; and Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation of Mayetta, KS.

Grantees are using their funds for a variety of programs. Grant activities include combating juvenile drug and alcohol use, improving access to appropriate interventions for court-involved youth, expanding mental health services to address delinquency risk factors, providing a continuum of prevention and residential treatment services for at-risk males, and developing a mental health service program to address delinquency among tribal youth residing on a reservation and in nearby rural and urban areas.

Comprehensive Indian Resources for Community and Law Enforcement Project

OJJDP participates in the Comprehensive Indian Resources for Community and Law Enforcement (CIRCLE) Project, a multiagency federal initiative that helps tribal communities develop comprehensive planning and funding infrastructures to fight crime, violence, and substance abuse. The CIRCLE Project stresses the importance of involving local leaders and using a comprehensive approach (i.e., coordinated, multidisciplinary efforts).

Through the CIRCLE Project, OJJDP awarded TYP grants in FY 1999 and FY 2000 to tribes in three pilot sites—the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Lame Deer, MT; Oglala Sioux Tribe in Pine Ridge, SD; and Pueblo of Zuni in Zuni, NM. These tribes receive special consideration for technical assistance and training related to strategy development and implementation and are eligible to apply for funding for law enforcement, tribal courts, detention facilities, and youth programs.

Several DOJ agencies work together to make technical assistance and funding available for the CIRCLE Project. Partner agencies include the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of Tribal Justice, OJP, and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The U.S. Attorney also plays a role in the project, and the FBI and the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs contribute through the Indian Country Law Enforcement Improvement Initiative. DOJ's National Institute of Justice is overseeing an evaluation of the CIRCLE Project, which is being conducted by the Harvard Project on American Indian Development at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, MA. A draft report for Phase I of the evaluation, which covers the first 18 months of the project, is under review. Phase II began in December 2002 and will address the subsequent 30 months.

Training and Technical Assistance

OJJDP provides a comprehensive program of training and technical assistance (T&TA) to help TYP grantees implement their programs. These services are designed to be culturally relevant and appropriate for tribal communities.

OJJDP's technical assistance addresses a number of issues, including needs assessment, comprehensive planning, data management, data collection instruments, and evaluation design. Training topics include strategies for conducting juvenile justice needs assessments, juvenile justice systems in Indian country, indigenous justice systems, early intervention strategies, steps for incorporating culturally relevant strategies into programs, and resource development and grant writing strategies.

American Indian Development Associates (AIDA) of Albuquerque, NM, provided this T&TA during FY 2002. Major activities included conducting a research and evaluation focus group, sponsoring a series of grant-writing seminars, and holding a national orientation meeting for new TYP grantees.

During 2002, AIDA offered 40 T&TA events, which involved nearly 800 participants and instructors. The events focused on a variety of topics, including:

• Program evaluation and data management: use of data collection instruments and computerized databases in collecting, entering, and analyzing program data for reports.
  
  
• Collaboration: development of effective working relationships with other tribal programs and external agencies.
  
  
• Policy development: use of existing tribal and state laws to develop intergovernmental and interagency agreements to support program implementation or systems.

Training in other areas, such as mentoring, grant writing, juvenile court management, probation, and detention, provided competency-building opportunities for TYP staff, other tribal program staff, and tribal community leaders and citizens. AIDA also developed a number of curriculum materials and helped TYP grantees develop their own materials.

OJJDP competitively solicited applicants in FY 2002 to continue providing training and technical assistance to TYP grantees and other tribal communities. The Native American Alliance Foundation of Albuquerque, NM, was selected to provide this service.

Research and Evaluation

OJJDP uses TYP funds to support a number of research and evaluation activities designed to provide empirical evidence about juvenile justice and delinquency prevention policies and practices and their impact on tribal youth. During FY 2002, the Office began a major new study, which will examine risk and protective factors for juvenile delinquency within the unique cultural and historical context of a tribal community. The Longitudinal Study of Tribal Youth Risk and Resiliency Using the Community Readiness Model (Longitudinal Study) will be conducted by Colorado State University's Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention Research of Boulder, CO.

By emphasizing cultural and historical factors, the Longitudinal Study will significantly improve knowledge about individual, family, community, school, and peer factors that affect delinquency and resiliency among tribal youth. It will also promote the development of culturally appropriate research methods for use with tribal communities. The first
2 years of the Longitudinal Study will consist of a feasibility study to plan the research.

The Office also supports a number of field-initiated research and evaluation programs. It funded two new programs in FY 2001. Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc., a consortium of five pueblos in Sandoval County, NM, received funds to explore the causes of and responses to youth substance abuse and crime. The study will use secondary and archival data sources, youth surveys, and interviews of tribe members to assess the nature of juvenile delinquency in the pueblos. Another new study, by the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa of Bayfield, WI, will conduct an evaluation of the juvenile justice system on the Red Cliff Reservation. The evaluation will focus on the reservation's tribal court, tribal substance abuse programs, and Indian Child Welfare program.

OJJDP also continued to support several existing research studies. These studies are examining a wide range of topics, including culturally appropriate prevention programs, delinquency and legal processing of American Indian juveniles, and gang activity of tribal youth. These studies are described in an OJJDP Fact Sheet, OJJDP's Program of Research for Tribal Youth.

Survey of Youth Gangs in Indian Country

OJJDP's National Youth Gang Center (NYGC), conducted a survey of youth gangs in Indian country in 2001. NYGC surveyed 577 federally recognized tribal communities to measure the presence, size, and activity of youth gangs in these communities. The survey was designed to assess the prevalence, composition, and activities of youth gangs in federally recognized tribes, which are not traditionally included in NYGC's annual National Youth Gang Survey of law enforcement officials. The tribal survey was developed in consultation with a number of tribal members, officials, and representatives from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Although the full report for this study is under development, some key findings are already available. Of the 300 tribal communities that provided data, 23 percent (69 tribes) reported active gangs during 2000. This proportion is similar to proportions in rural counties that report active youth gangs on the national survey. The majority of tribal respondents indicated that they had five or fewer gangs. The average time of onset for gang problems in tribal communities was 1994. Property crimes and drug sales were commonly reported activities of these gangs. When asked about the severity of a variety of social problems, respondents ranked gang activity well below more general problems associated with drug abuse and domestic violence. Further analysis of the survey data will focus on gang member offending, weapons use, and the influence of nearby cities and border towns on tribal youth.

An OJJDP/NYGC Fact Sheet, 2000 Survey of Youth Gangs in Indian Country, summarizes the survey findings. This Fact Sheet is available online from the Tribal Youth Program page of OJJDP's Web site or from the NYGC Web site.

New Publication

The National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association began a Tribal Court CASA Project in 1994 to support programs in which volunteers act as advocates for abused or neglected AI/AN children. CASA volunteers are lay people assigned by judges to represent the best interests of children with cases before the court. (TYP grant funds can be used to support tribal courts and other activities, such as afterschool programs and mentoring programs.) An OJJDP Fact Sheet, Tribal Court CASA: A Guide to Program Development, describes the project and offers guidance on program planning, management, and working with volunteers. The Fact Sheet summarizes a tribal court CASA guide published by the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association and the Tribal Law and Policy Institute in 2000.

¹⁰Federally recognized Indian tribes include Alaska Native tribal governments. Under current law (consolidated Appropriations Act, 2002), the terms "Indian tribe," "tribal," or "tribe(s)" in OJP statutes mean: "any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act . . . which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians."