This report presents the features, functions, and achievements of the inter-tribal workgroup - the Northwest Tribal Juvenile Justice Alliance (NW TJJA) – in designing a research study to evaluate and disseminate juvenile justice best practices for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth in the Pacific Northwest.
Although AI/AN youth in this region experience disproportionate rates of juvenile justice involvement, no planning body is currently convening decisionmakers to prioritize important health and safety research issues in AI/AN communities. The NW TJJA was formed as a collaborative inter-tribal workgroup composed of 43 stakeholders, including juvenile justice professionals from state agencies; Tribal law enforcement; and human services from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The Alliance also included Tribal youth. The NW TJJA’s goal was to identify culturally relevant juvenile justice interventions, best practices, and data sources to improve local decision-making in the development and implementation of culturally relevant juvenile justice interventions for AI/AN youth. Data collected by the project identified two needs to address that impact AI/AN youth involve in the juvenile justice system. These are 1) data surveillance and improvement in interagency coordination with Tribes to better support AI/AN youth transitioning out of corrections, and 2) the need for Tribal Best Practices (TBP) and cultural activities for AI/AN youth involved in the justice system. For the next phase of the project, this report proposes activities related to the development of data collection, use, and sharing. 2 tables, 36 references, and appended project tools and products