Overview
Purpose
One purpose of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention’s
(OJJDP's) Tribal Youth Program is to support and enhance tribal efforts
to prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice
system for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth. Another
focus is provision of mental health and substance abuse services
to AI/AN youth for both alcohol and drugs.
Authority
Since FY 1999, with and initial appropriation of $12, and a current
FY 2004 appropriation of $10 million has been appropriated for TYP.
Of this amount, OJJDP uses 1.25 million to support program-related research,
evaluation, and statistics; $250,000 to provide training and technical
assistance to tribal programs; $8 million for discretionary grants; and
$1 million to fund programs that support the Tribal Youth Program Mental
Health Initiative. The remaining funds enhance other tribal efforts and
provide program support.
Background
Many of the 1.9 million American Indians living on or near Indian lands
lack sufficient law enforcement services (Office of the Deputy Assistant
Attorney General, 1997). Indian communities face chronic underfunding
for their justice systems, lack access to meaningful training for law
enforcement and justice personnel, and lack comprehensive programs that
focus on preventing juvenile delinquency, providing intervention services,
and imposing appropriate sanctions.
Although violent crime arrest rates have declined throughout the United
States, they continue to rise in Indian country. According to the Bureau
of Justice Statistics' Special Report Violent Victimization and Race,
1993–98 (Rennison, 2001), American Indians experience violent
crime at a rate twice that of the general population. Of particular
concern to tribes and the federal government, especially OJJDP, is
the increasing number of violent crimes committed by and against juveniles
in Indian Country. Thus, the Indian country Law Enforcement Initiative
and OJJDP seek to address these problems by enhancing Indian country
law enforcement and improving the quality of life in tribal communities.
Since FY 1999, OJJDP has awarded 229 grants and cooperative agreements
to tribes throughout the United States to develop and implement culturally
sensitive delinquency prevention programs, alcohol and substance abuse
prevention programs, and intervention for court-involved youth, and to
improve the juvenile justice system. In addition, OJJDP uses $1 million
annually in discretionary funding to enable eligible tribes to provide
substance abuse and mental health prevention/intervention services to
AI/AN youth who are involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in,
tribal and/or state juvenile justice systems.
Tribal Youth Mental Health Initiative
Statistics indicate that the age of first involvement with alcohol is
lower, the frequency of drinking and the amount of alcohol consumed are
higher, and the negative consequences of drinking are more prevalent and
severe for AI/AN youth. The number of alcohol-related arrests for AI/AN
youth under age 18 is twice the national average according to the American
Indians and Crime report (Greenfeld and Smith, 1999).
To address these problems, the TYP Mental
Health Initiative was established to promote mental health and substance
abuse (both alcohol and drugs) services for AI/AN youth and to support
juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention efforts by creating
and implementing culturally sensitive mental health programs. This
special initiative helps tribes provide a range of youth support services
and programs to address the mental health and related needs of AI/AN
youth and their families in various community settings (e.g., schools,
violence prevention education programs, healthcare treatment programs,
and the juvenile justice system).
Interagency programs included in this federal effort support combining the potential of community groups to comprehensively address mental health, juvenile justice, and related issues. As part of the mental health initiative, tribes are encouraged to promote coordination and collaboration among the local programs in their communities that serve young people. To date, OJJDP has awarded 28 grants/cooperative agreements focusing on improving mental health services in AI/AN juvenile justice systems.
Funding Levels
Tribal Youth Program Awards. Applicants selected for awards will be
funded for a 3-year budget period and project period. Up to $300,000
in funding is available.
Tribal Youth Mental Health Awards. Applicants selected for awards will
be funded for a 3-year budget period and project period. Up to $225,000
in funding is available.
References:
Greenfeld, L.A., and Smith, S.K. 1999. American
Indians and Crime. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office
of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics. NCJ 173386.
Office of the Deputy Assistant
Attorney General. 1997. Report
of the Executive Committee for Indian Country Law Enforcement Improvements:
Final Report to the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Interior. Washington,
DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division.
Rennison, C. 2001. Violent
Victimization and Race, 1993–98. Special Report. Washington,
DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of
Justice Statistics. NCJ 176354.
 OJJDP Home | About OJJDP | E-News | Topics | Funding | Programs
State Contacts |
Publications | Statistics | Events
|
