Justice Systems and Alcohol and Substance Abuse

The Department of Justice developed a comprehensive and coordinated approach for tribal governments to apply for funding to reduce and prevent crime and victimization. Through this process, the Department's existing tribal government-specific programs are included in, and available through, a single Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS). Through this solicitation, only one application was accepted from each federally recognized tribe to encourage comprehensive assessments of need and planning. Each tribe could apply for funding under up to eight purpose areas, which included funding from the Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS), Office of Justice Programs (including BJA, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention) and Office on Violence Against Women. The tribe had the flexibility to select the purpose areas whose funding addressed the needs of the tribe as outlined in its tribal and community profile. There were eight purpose areas in total, and Purpose Area 3 was dedicated to Tribal Justice Systems, and Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention. The purpose of the Tribal Justice Systems (TJS) Program is to support a range of activities that may include: the prevention and reduction of alcohol and substance abuse-related crimes; the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of individuals who illegally transport, distribute, and abuse alcohol and controlled substances in Tribal communities; an increased coordination with relevant non-Tribal agencies and organizations and among all levels of the Tribe; the implementation of Tribal justice system interventions for substance abusing offenders, including drug courts or co-occurring drug and mental health courts; the provision of substance abuse and other treatment in correctional facilities, and the provision of treatment, aftercare, and other reentry supportive services to offenders reentering communities from correctional facilities; the integration of Tribal, Federal, state, and local services and culturally appropriate treatment for offenders and their families; an increase of capacity to collect and share justice system data on drug- and alcohol-related offenses; and the protection of children from alcohol and drug use and/or production. The TJS Program also supports the development and enhancement of Tribal justice system operations; training of Tribal justice staff; planning of new or enhancement of existing various Tribal courts, such as peacemaking courts, healing to wellness courts, sentencing circles, and other alternative justice courts; and to support diversion programs, Tribal probation services, and alternative dispute resolution methods. Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will improve court operations, expand diversion options, increase mental health supports, and provide direct cultural mentoring services. With this approach, the Tribe plans to foster a justice system that connects services to Tribal cultural practices, cultivating an environment which empowers survivors, requires accountability, delivers best practices, honors holistic concepts, and values successful offender reentry. The objectives are: (1) to maintain a well-functioning justice system, which is victim-centered, by completing a full transferal of all court files and supporting documents from a paper system to a digital records management program; (2) to improve outcomes, support successful reentry, and encourage personal empowerment for at least 50 offenders with increased behavioral health assistance; (3) to establish a Cultural Mentoring Program that serves 30 clients annually; (4) to reduce offender recidivism by at least 10 percent through expanded support and the use of jail diversion monitoring tools and systems; and (5) to assist in the preservation of cultural values and practices by teaching essential lessons on these ideas to offenders and those working within the justice system. CA/NCF