| CIRCLE Project Says Tribes Can Develop Solutions to Crime Problems
In 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) invited the Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana, and the Pueblo of Zuni of New Mexico to participate in a project supporting tribal efforts to enhance the safety and protection of American Indian women and children.
American Indians experience violent crime at a rate that is twice that of the general population. Tribal law enforcement agencies report high rates of domestic violence, child abuse, aggravated assaults, and violent crime strongly correlated with alcohol abuse. To address these problems, the CIRCLE (Comprehensive Indian Resources for Community and Law Enforcement) Project was born.
Through CIRCLE, financial support and technical assistance are provided to participating tribal governments for services and efforts dealing with crime prevention, victims, community policing, criminal investigation, prosecution, tribal courts, probation, and detention and alternative sentencing. The three primary objectives are to coordinate DOJ programs, promote an intertribal exchange of ideas and experiences, and develop a comprehensive planning and implementation process.
The CIRCLE Project is based on two key principles. First, with assistance from the federal government, participating tribal communities develop and implement crime, violence, and drug control efforts as well as victims' services. Second, the communities address problems through a comprehensive approach that incorporates coordinated and multidisciplinary efforts.
The CIRCLE Project grew out of the Indian Country Law Enforcement Initiative. The initiative is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of the Interior and DOJ—the two departments that provide funding for law enforcement in Indian Country. It is designed to increase coordination among the various components of both departments and enhance resources for responding to crime in Indian communities. At the core of both the initiative and the CIRCLE Project is a commitment to improving tribal-federal relations.
Participating tribes prepare a single comprehensive crime and violence control strategy that incorporates seven grant programs into a single application, and then a single award is made to each tribe. Funds are provided by the following offices:
- The Bureau of Justice Assistance provides support to tribal CIRCLE Project coordinators who work with key tribal decisionmakers to craft and implement a strategy and to use funds to enhance tribal courts.
- Corrections Program Office funds are used to build jails or detention facilities.
- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention funds are used to improve the tribal juvenile justice system and to implement prevention programs.
- Office for Victims of Crime funds are used to support specific victim services such as counseling, court advocacy, or emergency transportation and to address child and elder abuse.
- Violence Against Women Office funds are used to implement a coordinated community response partnership between the tribal criminal justice system and local victim service providers to better address violent crimes committed against women.
- Office of Community Oriented Policing Services funds are used to hire new officers, purchase equipment and vehicles, and support background investigations and training activities.
Each tribe has a tribal CIRCLE coordinator who oversees project activities and works closely with DOJ and the tribal criminal justice system to prepare the grant application and to implement the tribe's crime and violence control strategies.
Findings from phase 1 of the CIRCLE project evaluation are now available in Strengthening and Rebuilding Tribal Justice Systems: Learning From History and Looking Towards the Future:
DOJ continues to evaluate the project and will use the lessons it learns to inform future collaborative initiatives, current tribal affairs in grant making, and capacity building within the tribes. For further information, contact:
Norena Henry
|
