Blackfeet Truancy Action Plan

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states and units of local government, including tribes, to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own state and local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice, including for any one or more of the following purpose areas: 1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment and enforcement programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).

The Blackfeet Tribe will initiate the Blackfeet Truancy Action Plan (B-TAP), a court-based program that leverages the power of the Blackfeet Family Court to coordinate and oversee the delivery of services and, if needed, the prosecution of truant youth and neglecting parents/guardians. B-TAP will implement an aggressive law enforcement and prosecution response to increasing levels of chronic truancy in the community. The goals of the program are to improve school attendance through parental and child accountability; address attendance problems at the earliest possible time before the child's behavior is ingrained and while the parent still exercises control over the child; and reduce delinquency, future adult criminality and joblessness. NCA/NCF