Alaska Tribal Justice Training and Technical Assistance Center

The Bureau of Justice Assistance provides a comprehensive array of training and technical assistance (TTA) to assist federally recognized Indian tribes' ability to implement and enhance programs to reduce alcohol, substance abuse, and related crimes; and strengthens tribes' ability to implement and enhance tribal justice systems through training and technical assistance to increase their knowledge of emerging technology, evidence-based practices, and new models of service. The TTA offered will increase the knowledge of criminal and tribal justice practitioners through in-person training, web-based learning, distance learning using webinars, teleconferences, and developing or revising training curricula; increase a tribal justice agency's ability to solve problems and/or modify policies or practices; and increase the information provided to BJA and the criminal and tribal justice communities.

Through the funding for the Supporting Tribal Justice Systems in Alaska program, the Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc. (RurAL CAP) will continue the Alaska Tribal Justice Resource Center (ATJRC) project. RurAL CAP provides TTA to the BJA's CTAS grantees in Alaska and to non-grantee Alaska Native Villages as funding allows. This includes both remote and onsite TTA, including an initial assessment of needs and regular support and capacity building, to support successful implementation of the site-based projects. With funding from Office on Violence Against Women, there will also be support for Alaska Native Villages and Tribes in working with the state of Alaska on full faith and credit of tribal protection orders.

NCA/NCF

The BJA Tribal Justice CTAS Training and Technical Assistance Solicitation supports BJA’s comprehensive approach to deliver training and technical assistance (TTA) to federally recognized Indian Tribes. The TTA will provide tribal jurisdictions with assistance to: (1) develop strategies to address crimes relating to substance abuse and other controlled substances; and (2) implement and enhance tribal justice systems including tribal law enforcement, courts, prosecution, and pretrial; (3) conduct comprehensive justice system-wide strategic planning and develop written justice system-wide strategic plans; (4) address violent crime in tribal communities; (5) address the tribal justice needs of Alaska Native Villages; and (6) develop and foster intergovernmental collaboration among tribal-federal-state-local governments in order to improve public safety and victims’ services. The main focus of the TTA will be with tribes who receive funding under CTAS Purpose Areas 2 (Strategic Planning), 3 (Tribal Justice Systems), and 10 (Violent Crime) With these funds, the Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc. (RurAL CAP) will establish an Alaska Tribal Justice Training and Technical Assistance Center (Alaska Tribal Justice TTA Center) to meet the current need for Alaskan-based, culturally relevant TTA for federally recognized Indian Tribes in Alaska and remote frontier locations. The Alaska Tribal Justice TTA Center will lead and coordinate TTA and serve as a navigator for national providers while also including Alaska needs such as circle peacemaking processes, the development of court codes and cooperative agreements with the Alaska state court system and department of law, and enabling the diversion of civil, juvenile, and low level criminal cases to tribal courts. CA/NCF

With support from the Bureau of Justice, the Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc., (RurAL CAP) proposes to continue the Alaska Tribal Justice Resource Center (ATJRC) project under funding from the FY 2021 CTAS Tribal Justice Systems Training and Technical Assistance Programs, providing tribal justice TTA to existing and new BJA CTAS PA 3 grantees in Alaska and to non-grantee Alaska Native Villages that request assistance. 

Since its inception in 1965, RurAL CAP has maintained deep and longstanding partnerships and developed diverse expertise in serving Alaska’s federally recognized tribes, providing individualized, culturally responsive, and comprehensive programs. Having successfully administered hundreds of federal, state, and foundation grants while implementing projects throughout Alaska, RurAL CAP has demonstrated the ability to provide sound programmatic and fiscal oversight and has mastered the art of long-distance service delivery and program management.  

In addition to leveraging and building partnerships to serve grantee’s specific needs, the ATJRC uses a Partners Advisory Team that includes the University of Alaska Fairbanks Tribal Management Program, the Alaska Legal Services Corporation, Tanana Chiefs Conference, the Association of Village Council Presidents, and Kawerak, Inc.  

Tribal courts in Alaska are in the early stages of establishing and implementing modern courts and codes after a long and challenging history of working to achieve tribal sovereignty. RurAL CAP is uniquely positioned to offer grantees access to statewide nonprofit, public, and tribal relationships and affiliations, as well as services and support with a long-developed understanding of cultural competency and respect for rural and Alaska Native issues and lifestyles.  

The project goal of the ATJRC is to support Tribal Justice Systems in Alaska by increasing the knowledge of criminal and tribal justice practitioners, increasing tribal justice agency’s ability to solve problems and/or modify policies or practices, increasing information provided to criminal and tribal justice communities and improve the creation, issuance, registration, and enforcement of tribal protection orders, thereby improving the safety of domestic violence victims in Alaska Native villages. These objectives will be accomplished through training and assisting Alaska Native villages and tribes in the development and enhancement of justice systems and supporting Alaska Native villages and tribes in working with the State of Alaska and national training and technical assistance providers.

The BJA Tribal Justice CTAS Training and Technical Assistance Solicitation supports BJA’s comprehensive approach to deliver training and technical assistance (TTA) to federally recognized Indian Tribes. The TTA will provide tribal jurisdictions with assistance to: (1) develop strategies to address crimes relating to substance abuse and other controlled substances; and (2) implement and enhance tribal justice systems including tribal law enforcement, courts, prosecution, and pretrial; (3) conduct comprehensive justice system-wide strategic planning and develop written justice system-wide strategic plans; (4) address violent crime in tribal communities; (5) address the tribal justice needs of Alaska Native Villages; and (6) develop and foster intergovernmental collaboration among tribal-federal-state-local governments in order to improve public safety and victims’ services. The main focus of the TTA will be with tribes who receive funding under CTAS Purpose Areas 2 (Strategic Planning), 3 (Tribal Justice Systems), and 10 (Violent Crime)

With these funds, the Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc. (RurAL CAP) will establish an Alaska Tribal Justice Training and Technical Assistance Center (Alaska Tribal Justice TTA Center) to meet the current need for Alaskan-based, culturally relevant TTA for federally recognized Indian Tribes in Alaska and remote frontier locations. The Alaska Tribal Justice TTA Center will lead and coordinate TTA and serve as a navigator for national providers while also including Alaska needs such as circle peacemaking processes, the development of court codes and cooperative agreements with the Alaska state court system and department of law, and enabling the diversion of civil, juvenile, and low level criminal cases to tribal courts.
CA/NCF