This issue of INFOCUS by the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) describes the features of OJJDP's various grant programs intended to reduce juvenile delinquency, prevent victimization, and strengthen the juvenile justice system for Tribal youth. The fact sheet was updated in March 2022.
OJJDP participates in the Justice Department's Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, which enables any of the 574 federally recognized tribes to submit a single application for most of the Tribal grant programs. OJJDP supports two purpose areas within the solicitation, the Tribal Youth Program and Tribal Juvenile healing to Wellness Courts. Grants under the Tribal Youth Program assist tribes in improving their juvenile justice systems and support prevention, intervention, and treatment approaches that benefit youth. Grants under the Tribal Juvenile Healing to Wellness Courts Program assist participating courts in developing or improving policies, procedures, and services that address underage alcohol use and substance use. In February 2022, the peer guides presented Healing Indigenous Lives: Native Youth Town Halls to OJJDP. In facilitating grantees' grant programming, the Tribal Youth Resource Center and the Alaska Native Youth Training and Technical Assistance Project provide comprehensive, culturally relevant support. The OJJDP also funds research and convenes Tribal consultations and youth summits to assist in achieving success and well-being of Tribal youth. This report contains the grant amounts for Tribal youth programs for fiscal years 2017-2019, totaling nearly $27 million. The Tribal youth mentoring program of the Lower Sioux Indian Community is briefly described.