Archive
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports and Testimonies
Source: Government Accountability Office
Reports
1. Offshore Tax Evasion: IRS Has Collected Billions of Dollars, but May be Missing Continued Evasion. GAO-13-318, March 27.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-318
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/653370.pdf
2. VA and IHS: Further Action Needed to Collaborate on Providing Health Care to Native American Veterans. GAO-13-354, April 26.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-354
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/654224.pdf
3. Missile Defense: Opportunity to Refocus on Strengthening Acquisition Management. GAO-13-432, April 26.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-432
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/654234.pdf
Testimonies
1. Department of Homeland Security: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Efficiency and Effectiveness, Achieve Cost Savings, and Improve Management Functions, by Cathleen A. Berrick, managing director, homeland security and justice, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO-13-547T, April 26.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-547T
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/654210.pdf
2. Social Security Administration: Preliminary Observations on Key Management Challenges, by Daniel Bertoni, director, education, workforce, and income security issues, before the Subcommittee on Social Security, House Committee on Ways and Means. GAO-13-545T, April 26.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-545T
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/654214.pdf
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports
Source: Government Accountability Office
AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINES
Some Consumer Fees Have Increased
GAO-13-266, Apr 11, 2013
COMMERCIAL SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL
Observations on the Key Attributes and Challenges of Storage and Disposal Options
GAO-13-532T, Apr 11, 2013
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE
GAO-13-272, Apr 11, 2013
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S LONG-TERM FISCAL OUTLOOK
Spring 2013 Update
GAO-13-481SP, Apr 11, 2013
COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS
Outcome-Based Measures Would Assist DHS in Assessing Effectiveness of Cybersecurity Efforts
GAO-13-275, Apr 3, 2013
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Additional Actions Needed to Enhance Program Efficiency and Resource Management
GAO-13-505T, Apr 10, 2013
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
GAO-13-243, Mar 11, 2013
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
Governmentwide Strategy Needed to Better Manage Overlapping Programs
GAO-13-529T, Apr 10, 2013
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports
Source: Government Accountability Office
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BORDER SECURITY
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CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION
GAO-13-353
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MANAGEMENT REPORT
Improvements Needed in SEC’s Internal Controls and Accounting Procedures
GAO-13-274R
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports
Source: Government Accountability Office
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS
Long History of Management Challenges Raises Concerns about VA’s and DOD’s New Approach to Sharing Health Information
GAO-13-413T, Feb 27, 2013
GAO’S 2013 HIGH-RISK UPDATE
Medicare and Medicaid
GAO-13-433T, Feb 27, 2013
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Management Challenges Continue to Hinder Efforts to Improve Indian Education
GAO-13-342T, Feb 27, 2013
STRATEGIC SOURCING
Improved and Expanded Use Could Provide Procurement Savings for Federal Information Technology
GAO-13-408T, Feb 27, 2013
Climate-Induced Displacement of Alaska Native Communities
Climate-Induced Displacement of Alaska Native Communities
Source: Brookings Institution
Alaska has warmed twice as fast as the global average during the past half-century, and temperatures are projected to rise 1.5-5° F (1-3 ºC) by 2030 and by 5-18° F (3-6.5 ºC) by 2100. Less sea ice covers the Arctic Ocean today than at any time in recent geologic history. At the same time, the land itself is also affected by temperature increases. Permanently frozen subsoil – permafrost – keeps the land intact and habitable along the northwestern Alaskan coast, but is melting. These environmental phenomena are resulting in accelerated rates of erosion and flooding which damage or destroy infrastructure and threaten the livelihoods and well-being of people residing throughout Alaska.
Since 2003, federal and state governments have documented these climate change impacts on Alaskan communities and the need for immediate action to protect populations. State and federal government agencies are struggling to respond to the enormous new needs of these communities. Despite spending millions of dollars, the traditional methods of erosion control and flood protection have not been able to protect some communities. For several Alaska Native communities, protection in place is not possible and community relocation is the only adaptation strategy that can protect them from accelerating climate change impacts. This paper presents a brief overview of climate change in Alaska, examines the impact of climate change on Alaska Native rural villages, and analyzes the state, federal and community responses.
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports
Source: Government Accountability Office
REGIONAL ALASKA NATIVE CORPORATIONS
Status 40 Years after Establishment, and Future Considerations
GAO-13-121, Dec 13, 2012
CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH
Concerns Remain about Appropriate Services for Children in Medicaid and Foster Care
GAO-13-15, Dec 10, 2012
BORDER PATROL
Key Elements of New Strategic Plan Not Yet in Place to Inform Border Security Status and Resource Needs
GAO-13-25, Dec 10, 2012
RETIREMENT SECURITY
Annuities with Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawals Have Both Benefits and Risks, but Regulation Varies across States
GAO-13-75, Dec 10, 2012
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
EPA Should Develop a Strategic Plan for Its New Compliance Initiative
GAO-13-115, Dec 10, 2012
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports
Source: Government Accountability Office
TAX GAP
IRS Could Significantly Increase Revenues by Better Targeting Enforcement Resources
GAO-13-151, Dec 5, 2012
FLOOD INSURANCE
Participation of Indian Tribes in Federal and Private Programs
GAO-13-226, Jan 4, 2013
Racial and Ethnic Diversity Goes Local: Charting Change in American Communities Over Three Decades
Racial and Ethnic Diversity Goes Local: Charting Change in American Communities Over Three Decades (PDF)
Source: Department of Sociology and Population Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University
During the last three decades, the United States has become more racially and ethnically diverse. We examine this trend at the local level, where the consequences of increased diversity for the economy, education, and politics regularly prompt debate, if not rancor. Decennial census and ACS data spanning the 1980-2010 period allow us to determine (a) the pervasiveness of diversity across America, focusing on metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas and places, and (b) the community characteristics that correlate with diversity.
We nd that almost all communities—whether large immigrant gateways or small towns in the nation’s heartland—have grown more diverse. However, the data show a wide range of diversity pro les, from predominantly white communities (a shrinking number) to minority-majority and no-majority ones (an increasing number). The pace of local diversity gains, as well as shifts in racial-ethnic composition, has similarly varied.
While surging Hispanic and Asian populations often drive these patterns, other groups, including African immigrants, Native Americans, and multi-racial individuals, contribute to the distinctive mixes evident from one community to the next.
As for the correlates of diversity, communities with large populations, abundant rental housing, and a range of jobs are more diverse. So are those where the government and/or the military is a key employer. Locationally, diversity tends to be higher in coastal regions and along the southern border.
In short, a growing number of Americans now live in communities where multiple groups—Hispanics, blacks, and Asians as well as whites—are present in signi cant proportions.
The National Indian Education Study: 2011
The National Indian Education Study: 2011
Source: National Center for Education Statistics
The National Indian Education Study (NIES) is designed to describe the condition of education for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in the United States. NIES is conducted under the direction of the National Center for Education Statistics on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Indian Education. The results presented in this report focus on the performance of AI/AN fourth- and eighth-graders on the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress in reading and mathematics and on the educational experiences of AI/AN students based on NIES survey data.
Nationally representative samples of approximately 9,600 AI/AN students at grades 4 and 8 participated in the 2011 reading assessment and in the mathematics assessment. Students’ performance in 2011 is compared to earlier assessments in 2005, 2007, and 2009. Average reading and mathematics scores for AI/AN fourth- and eighth-graders in 2011 were not significantly different from the scores in either 2009 or 2005. At both grades 4 and 8, AI/AN students attending BIE schools scored lower on average in reading and mathematics than students attending public schools. Among the 12 states with samples large enough to report results for AI/AN students in both 2009 and 2011, average mathematics scores were lower in 2011 for fourth-graders in Montana and for eighth-graders in Minnesota and Utah. None of the participating states had a significant change in average reading scores from 2009 to 2011 at grade 4 or grade 8.
About 10,200 AI/AN students at grade 4 and 10,300 students at grade 8 participated in the 2011 NIES survey. Surveys were also completed by students’ teachers and school administrations. Results showed how the educational experiences of AI/AN students differed based on the type of school they attended and the proportion of AI/AN students in the school. For example, AI/AN students in BIE schools were more likely to report having some or a lot of knowledge about their AI/AN history, have teachers who reported learning about AI/AN students from living and working in the AI/AN community, and attend schools where members of the AI/AN community visit the school to discuss education issues.
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports
Source: Government Accountability Office
1. Indian Health Service: Action Needed to Ensure Equitable Allocation of Resources for the Contract Health Service Program. GAO-12-446, June 15.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-446
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/591632.pdf
2. Managing for Results: A Guide for Using the GPRA Modernization Act to Help Inform Congressional Decision Making. GAO-12-621SP, June 15.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-621SP
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports and Press Release
Source: Government Accountability Office
+ Reports
1. Securities Regulation: Opportunities Exist to Improve SEC’s Oversight of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. GAO-12-625, May 30.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-625
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/591220.pdf
Podcast - http://www.gao.gov/multimedia/podcasts/591197
2. VA Administrative Investigations: Improvements Needed in Collecting and Sharing Information. GAO-12-483, April 30.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-483
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/590547.pdf
3. Tribal Law and Order Act: None of the Surveyed Tribes Reported Exercising the New Sentencing Authority, and the Department of Justice Could Clarify Tribal Eligibility for Certain Grant Funds. GAO-12-658R, May 30.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-658R
4. Indigent Defense: Surveys of Grant Recipients, Select Tribes, and Indigent Defense Providers, an E-supplement to GAO-12-569. GAO-12-661SP, May 2012.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-661SP
5. GAO Schedule Assessment Guide: Best Practices for project schedules. GAO-12-120G, May 2012.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-120G
+ Press Release
1. How Long Will This Project Really Take? GAO Issues Draft Schedule Assessment Guide; Second Volume in Series to Help Manage Government Projects, May 30.
http://www.gao.gov/press/schedule_assessment_2012may30.htm
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports and TestimoniesSource: Government Accountability Office
+ Reports
1. Indigent Defense: DOJ Could Increase Awareness of Eligible Funding and Better Determine the Extent to Which Funds Help Support This Purpose. GAO-12-569, May 09.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-569
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/590737.pdf
2. Medicare: Review of the First Year of CMS’s Durable Medical Equipment Competitive Bidding Program’s Round 1 Rebid. GAO-12-693, May 09.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-693
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/590713.pdf
3. Social Security Administration: Improved Planning and Performance Measures Are Needed to Help Ensure Successful Technology Modernization. GAO-12-495, April 26.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-495
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/590493.pdf
4. Indian Issues: Federal Funding for Non-Federally Recognized Tribes. GAO-12-348, April 12.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-348
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/590103.pdf
5. Workplace Safety and Health: Better OSHA Guidance Needed on Safety Incentive Programs. GAO-12-329, April 09.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-329
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/590/589964.pdf
+ Testimonies
1. Department of Health and Human Services: Opportunities for Financial Savings and Program Improvements in Medicare and Medicaid Remain. GAO-12-719T, May 09.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-719T
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/590723.pdf
2. Homeland Security: DHS and TSA Face Challenges Overseeing Acquisition of Screening Technologies. GAO-12-644T, May 09.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-644T
Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/590730.pdf
3. Medicare: The First Year of the Durable Medical Equipment Competitive Bidding Program Round 1 Rebid. GAO-12-733T, May 09.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-733T
4. Social Security Administration: Technology Modernization Needs Improved Planning and Performance Measures. GAO-12-723T, May 09.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-723T
Ethnicity, Metabolism and Vascular Function: From Biology to Culture
Ethnicity, Metabolism and Vascular Function: From Biology to Culture
Source: Medscape
We live in a multicultural society. Data from the US 2000 census illustrate that the population is quite heterogeneous: 75% of the population is of Caucasian origin, but look at the numbers for the other racial/ethnic populations. These numbers have now actually changed. The most recent data show that the Latino population now comprises 13.9% of the US population, followed by the African American population. And as you can see, there are other minority populations in the country.
Why is that relevant? It is relevant because we recognize that type 2 diabetes affects different populations in different ways. In this graph, you can see that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is significantly higher in most of these minority groups in comparison to the white population. In this case, the European population represents what we usually see in this country in the white population. Keep in mind that these data are in people between the age of 45 and 74 years, and the rates of diabetes are 1.5, 2, 3 times higher than in the white population, with the highest prevalence of diabetes in terms of percentage of the population being demonstrated in the Pima Indians.
The Pima Indians are an American Indian group (most live in the state of Arizona) that has the highest rates of diabetes in the world: 70% of all Pima Indians above the age of 35 years have type 2 diabetes. They have a tremendous genetic risk for the disease, and they develop diabetes at very high rates. There is a very interesting natural “study” that occurred many years ago. The Pima Indians represented just a single group at some point in the past, but they divided into two groups: one that resides in the state of Arizona and another group that migrated to the northern part of Mexico (Sonora state). Although the populations are genetically identical, their rates for diabetes are very different.
Jails In Indian Country, 2010
Jails In Indian Country, 2010
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
Presents findings from the 2010 Survey of Jails in Indian Country, an enumeration of all jails, confinement facilities, detention centers, and other correctional facilities operated by tribal authorities or the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) on June 30, 2010. The report includes data on the number of adults and juveniles held, type of offense, number of persons confined on the last weekday of each month, average daily population, peak population, and admissions in June 2010. It also provides detailed data on rated capacity, facility crowding, and jail staffing for each facility.
Highlights include the following:
- At midyear 2010, a total of 2,119 inmates were confined in Indian country jails, a 2.6% decrease from the 2,176 inmates confined at midyear 2009.
- Nationwide, 78,900 American Indians and Alaska Natives were under correctional supervision in the United States.
- The number of inmates admitted into Indian country jails (12,545) during June 2010 was about 6 times the size of the average daily population (2,009).
- The expected average length of stay during June 2010 was the highest (12.5 days) in facilities rated to hold 50 or more inmates and the lowest (2.3 days) for jails rated to hold 10 to 24 inmates.
+ Full Report (PDF)
Preventing and Addressing Sexual Abuse in Tribal Detention Facilities
Source: American Probation and Parole Association
The issue of corrections-based sexual assault is complex and has implications reaching far beyond correctional institutions. In developing the law, Congress found that “prison rape endangers the public safety by making brutalized inmates more likely to commit crimes when they are released—as 600,000 inmates are each year… [and that] victims of prison rape suffer severe physical and psychological effects that hinder their ability to integrate into the community and maintain stable employment upon their release from prison.”
This bulletin seeks to provide information to tribal detention professionals, as well as tribal leaders, on the key policy and practice issues for the prevention, reduction, detection, and punishment of sexual abuse perpetrated on those under correctional supervision in Indian Country, including in jails, juvenile detention facilities, and police lock-ups.
Tribal detention professionals face a number of particular challenges: working with a range of criminal defendants/inmates, including violent and nonviolent, adults and juveniles, and men and women; working in facilities that are often underfunded, understaffed and overpopulated; balancing the equally important responsibilities of holding inmates accountable for their crimes and providing needed programs and services to promote their rehabilitation; managing potentially dangerous inmates in settings originally designed for individuals charged or convicted of lower-level offenses; and, negotiating complex jurisdictional issues unique to Indian Country criminal justice systems. Without a doubt, working in tribal corrections is a highly stressful profession in which the stakes are incredibly high—for officers, for inmates, and for the community alike.
While at first glance it may appear that policy and practice recommendations for preventing and addressing sexual violence add to an already overwhelming set of tasks that tribal corrections professionals are required to accomplish, the purpose of this bulletin is rather to demonstrate how tribal detention staff can build on existing efforts to protect the safety of inmates and facilities through the enhancement of policies and procedures for the prevention of and response to sexual abuse. Moreover, this bulletin will highlight key resources that have been designed to assist tribal detention professionals in addressing this critical issue.
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports and Testimony
Source: Government Accountability Office
+ Reports
1. Indian Health Service: Continued Efforts Needed to Help Strengthen Response to Sexual Assaults and Domestic Violence. GAO-12-29, October 26.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-29
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1229high.pdf
2. Information Technology: OMB Needs to Improve Its Guidance on IT Investments. GAO-11-826, September 29.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-826
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11826high.pdf
3. National Preparedness: Improvements Needed for Acquiring Medical Countermeasures to Threats from Terrorism and Other Sources. GAO-12-121, October 26.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-121
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d12121high.pdf
4. Low Income Countries: International Financial Institutions Met Many Goals in Response to Financial, Food, and Fuel Crises, but Impact on Spending Difficult to Establish. GAO-11-832, September 28.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-832
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11832high.pdf
+ Testimony
1. Defense Acquisitions: Future Ground-Based Vehicles and Network Initiatives Face Development and Funding Challenges, by Belva M. Martin, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-12-181T, October 26.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-181T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d12181thigh.pdf
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports (PDFs)
Source: Government Accountability Office
1. Federal Chief Information Officers: Opportunities Exist to Improve Role in Information Technology Management. GAO-11-634, September 15.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-634
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11634high.pdf
2. Long-Term Care Hospitals: CMS Oversight Is Limited and Should Be Strengthened. GAO-11-810, September 15.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-810
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11810high.pdf
3. Temporary Assistance For Needy Families: HHS Needs to Improve Guidance and Monitoring of Tribal Programs. GAO-11-758, September 15.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-758
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11758high.pdf
4. Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle: DOD Needs to Ensure New Acquisition Strategy Is Based on Sufficient Information. GAO-11-641, September 15.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-641
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11641high.pdf
5. Yucca Mountain: Information on Alternative Uses of the Site and Related Challenges. GAO-11-847, September 16.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-847
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11847high.pdf
Crime and Justice in Indian Country: A summary of talking circle findings and the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010
Crime and Justice in Indian Country: A summary of talking circle findings and the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 (PDF)
Source: Crime and Justice Institute
This report summarizes information regarding culture and criminal justice issues in Indian Country today, most of it gathered through talking circles and focus groups with members of different American Indian communities in the United States in 2009-2010. Findings from the talking circles highlight some of the major issues facing American Indian tribal governments and communities in terms of criminal justice issues, strategies being used to address such issues, and areas in need of improvement. The intent of this writing is to educate those who may not be familiar with American Indian culture, courts, governments, and current criminal justice challenges; to better inform those making Indian policy and funding decisions; to share with tribal communities a sampling of criminal justice resources and initiatives in Indian Country today, and to outline for all the significant legal changes created by the recently enacted Tribal Law and Order Act.
New From the GAO
New GAO Reports and Testimonies (PDF)
Source: Government Accountability Office
+ Reports
1. Drug Pricing: Manufacturer Discounts in the 340B Program Offer Benefits, but Federal Oversight Needs Improvement. GAO-11-836, September 23.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-836
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11836high.pdf
2. Indian Health Service: Increased Oversight Needed to Ensure Accuracy of Data Used for Estimating Contract Health Service Need. GAO-11-767, September 23.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-767
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11767high.pdf
3. Electronic Government: Performance Measures for Projects Aimed at Promoting Innovation and Transparency Can Be Improved. GAO-11-775, September 23.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-775
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11775high.pdf
+ Testimonies
1. DOD Financial Management: Improved Controls, Processes, and Systems Are Needed for Accurate and Reliable Financial Information, by Asif A. Khan, director, financial management and assurance, before the Subcommittee on Government Organization, Efficiency and Financial Management, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. GAO-11-933T, September 23.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-933T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11933thigh.pdf
2. Social Security Disability: Participation in the Ticket to Work Program Has Increased, but More Oversight Needed, by Daniel Bertoni, director, education, workforce, and income security issues, before the Subcommittees on Social Security and Human Resources, House Ways and Means Committee. GAO-11-828T, September 23.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-828T
3. American Samoa and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Employment, Earnings, and Status of Key Industries Since Minimum Wage Increases Began, by David Gootnick, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs, House Natural Resources Committee. GAO-11-956T, September 23.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-956T
4. Polar Satellites: Agencies Need to Address Potential Gaps in Weather and Climate Data Coverage, by David A. Powner, director, information technology management issues, before the Subcommittees on Investigations and Oversight and Energy and Environment, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. GAO-11-945T, September 23.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-945T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11945thigh.pdf
Tribal Youth in the Federal Justice System, Final Report (Revised)
Tribal Youth in the Federal Justice System, Final Report (Revised) (PDF)
Source: Urban Institute
The Tribal Youth in the Federal Justice System project explored issues surrounding the population of American Indian juveniles who are processed in the federal justice system. Juveniles in the federal system are rare, and a substantial proportion enters into the system because of crimes committed on American Indians lands, over which the states have no jurisdiction. While these cases are sometimes handled within a tribe’s own justice system, some are prosecuted federally. Using 1999-2008 data from the Federal Justice Statistics Program and interviews with tribal and federal officials, the study explored the prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of these youth at each stage of the justice system. In addition, the study examined significant issues surrounding the processing of tribal youth cases, including the reasons that these cases may be handled federally or tribally. This study fills a gap in the literature by providing both statistical and contextual information about tribal and non-tribal juvenile cases in the federal system. Although the data have many limitations, the study pointed to a number of findings, including the following: over the last ten years, about half of all juveniles in the federal system were tribal youth; the number of juveniles in the federal system – both tribal and nontribal — decreased over this period; most juvenile cases were concentrated in a small number of federal judicial districts; and U.S. Attorneys declined a substantial portion of all juvenile matters referred for prosecution. Tribal and non-tribal juvenile cases differed in significant ways: most tribal youth cases involved violent offenses, while most non-tribal cases involved public order and drug offenses; and tribal youth were more likely to be adjudicated delinquent, while nontribal youth were more likely to be prosecuted as adults. Availability of rehabilitative resources and tribal capacity to prosecute were also found to be important factors in the decision to pursue a tribal youth case in the federal system.
