Goal #1: To enhance the Fort Peck Tribal Court Judicial Processing System by the implementation of an intake and referral process that includes a screening and assessment process to determine the likelihood that substance abuse is a contributing factor in a case.
 

The Fort Peck Tribal Court has attempted to implement such as process by the utilization of an assessment and diagnostic interview called "Strategies for Juvenile Supervision (SJS) in the Juvenile Court. The SJS case planning method provides a structured way of evaluating juvenile offenders and developing supervision strategies based on offender type. A structured interview is used to assess and prioritize areas that contribute to delinquent behaviors. This includes offense patterns, school, family, interpersonal relationships, substance abuse, current plans, and future plans. Factual information as well as the juvenile's attitude and emotional response is evaluated. A comparable system must be researched and implemented in the Adult Court, through the use of intake personnel.

Included in this goal will be the development of a specific procedural process that will spell out each step in the Judicial system. This can include the complete process from intake, screening, adjudication, monitoring, and coordination of the treatment and recovery continuum with other germane services such as vocational rehabilitation, education, etc., and ultimately the release of the offender from court jurisdiction. Obstacles to full implementation has been staff limitations.
 

Objective 1.1: Establish intake protocol for all cases involving youth entering the court and
conduct screening assessments to ascertain risk factors.

Responsible person: Carol Azure, Juvenile Services Coordinator

Time frame: May 30th, 1998

Activities include:
 

l.la Train pertinent court and detention personnel in the SJS Assessment instrument.

l.lb Meet with and develop a consensus among service providers regarding referral process.

l.lc Develop protocol manual detailing criteria for selection for intensive supervision process and chemical dependency referrals.
 

Objective 1.2: Research and develop a screening, Intake assessment for adults entering the judicial system which will include assessment of cognitive or other impairments, medical, substance abuse, and other psyche-social factors contributing to criminal behaviors.
 

Responsible person: Calvin Red Thunder; Correctional Specialist

Time frame: July 30th, 1998

Activities include:
 

1.2a Conduct research on comparative risk assessment tool for adults

Sub tasks:

a) contact Montana State Prison, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the National Institute of Corrections, and the National Indian Justice Center regarding assessment instruments used.
 

1.2b Assess and develop an Intake processing system to identify violent and non-violent adult offenders.
 

1.2c Develop protocol manual detailing criteria for selection for intensive supervision program and chemical dependency evaluation referrals.
 
 
 

Goal #2: to enhance current Tribal Court Information Management System in order to coordinate court information between law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation services, and other pertinent agencies, organizations, educational services, etc. to substance abusing offenders.
 

The Fort Peck Tribal Court has assessed the hardware and software requirements for developing an internal Tribal Court Information System Network between the main court in Poplar and the satellite court located in Wolf Point, Montana, which would include the capability for agencies to contact the court electronically for the purpose of information sharing, and implementing methods of sharing sensitive information in accordance with laws of confidentiality. The reason for this assessment was to explore ways to establish consistency in procedures, and enhance court and probation file updating capabilities thus improving the ability to monitor and track offenders under court supervision who frequently relocate to areas under thejurisdiction of the local court. No funds have been appropriated for this endeavor, though it is the consensus of representatives of law enforcement, court, treatment and correctional agencies that such a system will greatly improve the services of the court.
 

In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Drug Court Program, the information in a comprehensive Court Information Management System must be available to measure the objectives relating to the overall goals of this program. Such information would have to include 1) Offender characteristics and criminal histories; 2) program interventions and results; 3) Client tracking data (assessment results, referrals, progress, discharge, and follow-up information); 4) probation information; 5) fiscal information; and 6) case statistical information.
 

Another area identified as critical for success that is to be targeted is based on the fact that there are no formalized Memorandums of Agreement/understanding on the local level between State, County, City, and Tribal governmental entities that provide service throughout the reservation. Historically the various entities have operated within their spheres of influence with little interaction with like agencies and programs offering like services. This may be due to historical mistrust between tribal and non-tribal entities.
 

An example might include law enforcement service providers, which share like responsibilities but are limited to their respective jurisdictions, and many times provide limited information to the court on offender contacts. Services are provided to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation by two (2) city police departments, (2) county Sheriffs Departments, Fort Peck Tribal Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), all operating without a centralized information management system in place to share information, which would improve the quality of service rendered by the sharing of such data as crime analysis data, offense trends, probation violator information and habitual offender information.
 

Objective 2.1: Develop methods of coordinating the sharing of information between pertinent agencies in a collaborative effort to promote program participation in the Judicial Case Management Process.
 

Responsible person: Rita Weeks, Tribal Court Administrator
 

Time frame: April 30th, 1998
 

Activities include:
 

2.1a Upgrade current computer system capabilities in order to link the Tribal courts, law enforcement, correctional/detention facilities with treatment and rehabilitation services, and other pertinent agencies, organizations, educational services.
 

Sub tasks: PHASE I COMPLETION DATE: April 30, 1998

a) Request bids on hardware and software for management system.

b) See demonstration of current system used by Roosevelt County Court and Law Enforcement.

c) Schedule meeting of Steering Committee for recommendations regarding Information System.

Sub tasks: PHASE II COMPLETION DATE: May 30, 1998

d) Upgrade selected computers to meet hardware requirements of system.

e) Purchase Court Information Management System for Poplar and Wolf Point Court.

f) Coordinate training for all court personnel on the Information System.

g) Schedule regular meetings for on-going training on how to integrate the system into the

identified goals of the project.

Sub tasks: PHASE III COMPLETION DATE: June 30, 1998

h) Purchase Correctional Information Management System for adultjail andjuvenile detention facilities.

i) Train all pertinent personnel on Information System, designating one to two staff as training officers to provide training to on-coming staff

j) Schedule regular on-going training to discuss applications, security, and offender tracking.

Sub tasks: PHASE IV COMPLETION DATE: July 30, 1998

k) Purchase Law Enforcement Information System.

I) Train all pertinent personnel on Information Systems, designating one to two staff as training officers to provide training to on-coming staff.
 

2.lb Development of action plans and Memorandums of Agreement between partner agencies to define the roles and responsibilities of each partner with relation to Case Planning and Management.
 
 
 

2.lc Development of a plan for sharing sensitive information between Drug Court partner agencies.
 

2.1d Develop standard reporting format for relevant agencies to the court.
 
 
 

Goal #3: to develop alternative interventions, as well as consistent court mandates for sustained continuity of treatment, recovery, and support services to offenders, which includes family accountability, substance abuse education, and treatment.
 

The Fort Peck Tribes is requesting funding to develop the position of Community Corrections Planner. It is envisioned that this position will be dedicated to developing a comprehensive offender treatment plan that will reduce the reliance of the court on secure detention for substance abusing offenders and initiate a community process and consensus that will ultimately address issues of crime, substance abuse and juvenile delinquency.
 

The Fort Peck Tribal Court Administrator will provide day to day supervision and assistance for the proposed Community Corrections Planner position.
 

The Community Corrections Planner will develop a long-term strategy to address the concerns noted above. This process can include:
 

1. Developing a consensus within the community. This can be accomplished by organizing a working group within the existing community and service provider infrastructure that will concentrate on developing a community based corrections plan. A group, called the Tribal Strategies Against Violence Project and is comprised of a number of community and service provider groups. This group will provide an excellent resource for developing a strategic plan that will involve integrating community issues within the existing criminal justice system.
 

2. Development of a multi-disciplinary child information team. A current model of multi-disciplinary team efforts exists on the Fort Peck Reservation with the Fort Peck Child Protection Team. This team has achieved national recognition in the field of child protection and this model can be easily replicated and developed into a format that can concentrate on other youth issues. The multi-disciplinary team effort would resolve a number of issues including lack of case management and case coordination; networking existing service providers to supplement the juvenile services program through integrated efforts; and providing cost effective services by avoiding duplication of services.
 

3. Initiate a review of the Tribal Code to ensure that standards and initiatives which are relevant to Indian offenders are addressed. Tribal custom and usages could also be reviewed and incorporated within the judicial process to maintain the cultural integrity of the community.
 

4. Assess the current detention practices and develop alternatives within the continuum of care which can reduce reliance on detention. This can process can involve both a multi-disciplinary team approach and the accessing the community through various community groups.
 

5. Development of a meaningful probation program that will put officers in the field to work with youth at a community level thereby reducing the use of secure detention as the only alternative to incarceration, and insure compliance with treatment plans as ordered by the court.
 

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED A NEEDED WITHIN THE CASE MANAGEMENT/CONTINUUM OF CARE MODEL, BUT AT THIS TIME NO FUNDING HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.
 

Other resources that will be available for technical assistance to the Community Corrections Planner include the Fort Peck Tribes Detention Administrator, the Drug and Alcohol counselor at the Fort Peck Youth Services Center, Fort Peck Tribes Juvenile Services Director, and Spotted Bull Treatment Center staff.
 

Additional staff identified as critical to the Drug Court Program would be three (3) JudicialIntake Officers consisting of (1) Adult Intake Officer for the Poplar Court as all adult arraignments are held in Poplar, (1) Juvenile Officer for Poplar Court and (1) Juvenile Officer Wolf Point, to assist court probation in screening, assessing, referring, and tracking and monitoring adult and juvenile offenders who enter the court system.
 

Objective 3.1: Establish intake officer positions in order to identify substance abuse issues inpre-adjudicated youth and divert to appropriate treatment facilities, thereby promotingpublic safety and reducing recidivism characteristics of substance abusing offenders.
 

Responsible person: Rita Weeks, Tribal Court Administrator
 

Time frame: April 30th, 1998
 

Activities include:
 

3.la Identify current available personnel within the Department of Law and Justice to act as Intake Officers, and/or hire additional staff as funding becomes available.
 

3.lb Schedule training of designated officers screening and assessment instrument
 

3.lc Establish referral process for officers.
 
 
 

Objective 3.2: Review how the Fort Peck Tribes Comprehensive Code of Justice statutorily addresses chemical dependency as it relates to criminal behavior, thereby improving thejudicial response to substance abuse.
 

Responsible person: Christopher Many Deeds, Supervising Attorney/Prosecutor
 

Time frame: June 30th, 1998
 

Activities include:
 

3.2a Meeting with judges, prosecutors, chemical dependancy professionals, juvenile justice personnel to review and discuss and further possible amendments to CCOJ in regards to dealing with substance abusing offenders.
 

3.2b Planned presentation of any proposed changes to agencies, organizations, and pertinent individuals regarding their roles and responsibilities regarding providing prevention education and/or intervention.
 

3.2c Informational packets to inform the public about issues regarding substance abuse and the law.
 
 
 

Objective 3.3: Research and evaluate community based substance abuse interventions thatco-exist with the criminal justice system.
 

Responsible person: Karen Duboise, Spotted Bull Treatment center

Colleen Clark, Tribal Strategies Against Violence
 

Time frame: May 30, 1998
 

Activities include:
 

3.3a Conduct inventory of services for adults and juveniles
 

3.3b Identification of service gaps and barriers to more efficient management with limited resources.
 

3.3c Develop resource matrix for judges and court personnel.
 

THE PLANNING PROCESS
 

Planning for the Fort Peck Drug Court program is envisioned to include six month planning phase for refinement of the Implementation Plan of the Drug Court Program which will include the:
 
 

Step 1 Creation of a diverse planning and steering committee.

Step 2 Identify resources and mobilize work groups to develop the strategy.

Step 3 Select critical programmatic areas that support the strategy.

Step 4 Identify and refine goals, objectives, implementation activities, and outcome measures.

Step 5 Complete the final implementation Work Plan for all components of the Drug Court
 
 
 

STEP ONE:

CREATION OF A DIVERSE PLANNING AND STEERING COMMOTTEE.
 

It is envisioned that the current Community Corrections Committee will act as the Core Planning Team for this project as it is comprised of pertinent individuals and agencies that will have a direct impact on services provided to substance abusing offenders.
 

Sub tasks:

1) Review the Drug Court Mission Statement andprogrammatic goals to insure current applicability.
 
 
 

STEP TWO:

IDENTIFY RESOURCES AND MOBILIZE WORK GROUPS TO DEVELOP THE STRATEGY.
 

Sub tasks:

1) Identify and list local agencies, organizations, and interested individuals impacted by the problems.

2) Invite listed resources to a meeting to orientate them to the goals, objectives and intent of the Drug Court Project.
 

STEP THREE:

SELECT CRITICAL PROGRAMMATIC AREAS THAT SUPPORT THE STRATEGY.
 

The Core planning Team or Steering Committee should review the goals of the project and insure that goals are attainable, measurable and support the strategies outlined and visa versa.
 

STEP FOUR:

IDENTIFY AND REFINE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES, AND OUTCOME MEASURES.
 

The Work Groups should review the project from the perspective of their individual programmatic areas, and identify, revise, and refine goals, objectives, implementation activities, and outcome measures.
 

STEP FIVE:

COMPLETE THE FINAL IMPLEMENTATION WORK PLAN FOR ALL COMPONENTS OF THE DRUG COURT