Selawik Youth Tribal Justice Program

The Native Village of Selawik is developing a Youth Tribal Justice Program to provide critical intervention and prevention services for at-risk and delinquent youth under the age of 18 in Selawik, Alaska. The lack of onsite probation officers, public safety officers, and recovery services results in high recidivations rates and youth not successfully reintegrating back in the community and complying with probation. The program with hire a Youth Tribal Justice Coordinator who will focus creating and following community-focused reentry plans, as well as developing culturally specific intervention and postvention initiatives. The Youth Tribal Justice Program will build from the existing Selawik Wellness Coalition's suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention work. It also coincides with the Native Village of Selawik's planning and development of a tribal justice system. The Program is imperative to adequately support youth in Selawik and to ensure that they reintegrate into the community in a way that makes them connected and successful community and tribal members.