Tribal Integrated Public Safety (TIPS) Funding Proposal
Purpose of the Public Safety and Justice Workgroup · Analyze resources in BIA and DOJ that support public safety and justice, including courts, law enforcement, prosecution, legal services, victim services, detention, probation, and reentry services · Review funding methodologies used by BIA/OJS and DOJ · Review linkages and existing mechanisms for collaboration between BIA OJS and DOJ programs · Consistent with TIBC’s recommendation to consolidate public safety funding at a single agency, analyze which agency is best suited to administer a consolidated program and which funding streams should be included · Assess whether statutory changes are required to address problems in either DOJ or BIA · Identify administrative changes that would address problems in either DOJ or BIA
Challenges to tribal public safety and justice funding: available funding falls well below the documented need; funding is spread across multiple federal agencies with different programmatic and administrative requirements; and DOJ funding is distributed via short-term, competitive grants that undermine program stability and hamper strategic planning.
Estimated Need BIA reported estimated needs to Congress in 2016 as required in Tribal Law and Order Act: $1 billion for tribal law enforcement $1 billion for tribal courts $222.8 million for tribal corrections
Tribal public safety funding is spread across several agencies: BIA - base funding for law enforcement, courts, & detention approximately $376.7M in FY 17 DOJ – competitive grants for specific purposes approximately $115M in FY 17 HHS also has some grants for substance abuse, rehabilitation, violence prevention, and victim services.
Appropriations Levels FY 16 FY 17 FY 18 Admin BIA public safety funding $377,423,000 $376,706,000 $349,314,000 DOJ tribal programs $120,000,000 $115,000,000 $310,000,000 Total $497,423,000 $491,706,000 $659,314,000
Reform is needed TIBC has previously recommended moving DOJ’s funds to DOI for consolidation The Indian Law & Order Commission recommended consolidation of the funds at DOJ Some have raised concerns about DOJ’s inexperience with self-governance and self-determination vehicles
Proposal for Integration and Coordination of Public Safety Programs Available funding for public safety is profoundly inadequate; Available funding is spread across multiple federal agencies with different programmatic and administrative requirements; Short-term, competitive grants undermine program stability and hamper strategic planning. Proposal, modeled after Public Law 102-477, would give tribal governments the authority to consolidate funding from different programs into a single, coordinated, comprehensive program. This would reduce administrative costs and streamline reporting into a simpler single-compliance model that would be monitored and executed by the “lead agency.” Potential Name: Tribal Integrated Public Safety (TIPS)