NCJ Number
220713
Date Published
2005
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This study provides an examination and evaluation of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) effectiveness in delivering services through the Tribal Youth Program Initiative.
Abstract
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice provides programming to prevent, reduce, and control juvenile delinquency. The Tribal Youth Program (TYP) provides a range of culturally appropriate projects, activities, and funding opportunities for American Indian and the Alaska Native community to reduce, control, and to prevent juvenile crime; work with court-involved youth; improve the juvenile justice systems; prevent use of alcohol and other controlled substances; and develop comprehensive mental health services. On August 20, 2005, OJJDP convened a group of individuals in Scottsdale, AZ to identify significant youth issues, to discuss the role of government in effectively addressing those issues, and to share recommendations on improving the Tribal Youth Program’s support for tribes in the areas of concern. The overall recommendations include: provide definition on the differences between grants and cooperative agreements; give examples of successful programs and guidelines for development of evaluation and performance measures; consider providing opportunities to entities that provide assistance off-reservation to Native people; emphasize partnerships between State agencies and tribes; lengthen funding periods to allow grantees to form the necessary partnerships for successful completion of their goals; address reentry programs within the funding categories; identify risk factors in the performance measures; and look to the National Congress of American Indians, United National Indian Tribal Youth, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to increase awareness of the Tribal Youth Program, enhance communications between agency program managers, improve technical assistance, and provide training. Data collection was obtained through a structured discussion process which evaluated the effectiveness of OJJDP’s delivery of services through the Tribal Youth Program initiative.