10^th National Indian Nations Conference: Justice for Victims of Crime

Pre-Conference Institutes and Other Related Events

On December 6, 2006, special daylong workshops (Pre-Conference Institutes) will be offered prior to the beginning of the conference. This allows you to spend an entire day concentrating in depth on a subject of interest to you. Each pre-conference Institute begins at 9:00 am and concludes at 5:00 pm, with a break at noon for lunch (on your own).

Attendance at the Pre-Conference Institutes is optional and participation is limited based upon space availability. There is no additional charge for the Pre-Conference Institutes, but participants must pre-register on a first come, first served basis. 

Presenter		Institute Description	Primary Target Audience
Sam English (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe) – Conference Poster Artist		Healing Through Art This session, led by Turtle Mountain Chippewa artist Sam English, will provide cultural communication opportunities and explore American Indian expression at both Tribal and Urban levels about alcohol, drugs and violence and overcoming the pain of victimization. Participants will learn how to expose inner feelings without feeling afraid of criticism through making art. This session will produce a group piece of art to be displayed during the conference. Space is limited to 20 participants from Tribes and 20 non-Tribal (state, federal or private agency) registrants. Maximum Participants: 40	Multidisciplinary
Mary Ann Akers Kathy Deserly Linda Logan Beckie Murdock Melissa Johnson		Grant Writing and Sustainability This  Institute will provide hands-on information and resources to enhance the grant writing skills of current grantees and potential applicants for Office of Justice Programs Grants. It will also provide practical information and resources concerning program sustainability. While the focus will be upon Office of Justice Programs grants, it will also include information and resources that will be relevant for grant writing and sustainability with regard to other governmental grants and private foundation grants. There will be two break-out sessions in the afternoon. The focus of the first break-out session will be Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) grant programs such as the Children's Justice Act (CJA) Program for Native Communities, Tribal Victim Assistance (TVA) Program, and Tribal Court CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Program. The second break-out session - provided by Fox Valley Technical College - will focus on grants through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), including BJA's Tribal Courts Assistance Program (TCAP) and BJA's Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program. Maximum Participants: 40	Multidisciplinary
Moderated by Diane Payne (Agenda)		Meth in Indian Country In an effort to understand the scope of violence and victimization relating to methamphetamines, this session will provide an introduction to some of the dynamics of the drug and as well as some tribal innovations in methamphetamine treatment. In addition, presentations will be made by representatives of national organizations that have been leading the fight to end methamphetamines abuse, and to address the array of challenges our Tribal communities face as use of this drug has swept over Indian country. We will also discuss gaps in the resources and educational tools available and strategies to strengthen our community responses to the dangers of this devastating drug. Maximum Participants: 100	Multidisciplinary
Mike Johnson Roe Bubar		Investigating Child Sexual Abuse Cases This training will explore the highlights in investigating child sexual abuse cases and forensic interviewing as well as provide participants an opportunity to review difficult case issues and discuss strategies for addressing challenges and obstacles in these cases. This session will provide investigators, prosecutors, social workers, medical examiners and mental health providers with basic guidelines for comprehensive investigations and forensic interviews and troubleshooting complex cases. Participants are encouraged to bring case examples. Maximum Participants: 40	Multidisciplinary
Dan Hally Natalia Calhoun		Team Building: Advocates and Law Enforcement This institute will focus on team building skills for advocates and law enforcement to better understand how by “working together,” they can enhance the safety and services for victims of violent crime. Participants will also be provided with the knowledge and strategies necessary for building teams in their communities to raise awareness regarding crimes of violence so that community members will become involved in the fight to end violent crime in lieu of turning away from the problem. Maximum Participants: 40	Law Enforcement Victim Advocates
Rebecca St. George Bree Lighthawk LaVelle Knotchapon		Introduction to Victim Advocacy Morning session will provide an overview of Victim Advocacy issues and skills. Afternoon session will examine emerging issues in Domestic Violence and will explore the history of violence against Indian women and look at where it came from, and why. Participants will have a dialogue about the context of modern-day domestic violence in Indian country, and whether women's use of violence is different from that of men's, and will explore some of the intersections of domestic violence, child protection services, and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Finally, possible and proven solutions will be discussed. Maximum Participants: 40	Victim Advocates
Colleen James Colleen O'Brian		Medical Forensics in Sexual Assault Cases This advanced level training session is designed to help the experienced professional improve the identification, examination, investigation, and prosecution of cases involving sexual assault. It will encourage open discussion of topics of interest to all professional who work with victims of sexual assault and family violence. Maximum Participants: 40	Medical Services
Michelle Garcia Sandy Bromley Cheryl Neskahi Coan		Stalking Issues In Indian Country According to the National Violence Against Women Survey (1998) AI/AN women and men were stalked at rates about twice the rates for all women and men. This Institute will enhance participants’ understanding of stalking and their ability to respond to victims and will focus on the prevalence, lethality and impact of stalking; the use of technology in stalking; investigating and building a stalking case; threat assessment; and working with victims. Participants will also have the opportunity to analyze their own stalking laws and codes and design coordinated community responses to stalking. Participants are encouraged to attend in multidisciplinary teams of law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim advocates. Maximum Participants: 40	Tribal Courts (Judges, Prosecutors, etc.) Law Enforcement Victim Advocates
		Tribal Court Assistance Program Topics (Sponsored by Bureau of Justice Assistance)
B.J. Jones Michelle Rivard Parks		Part One: VAWA 2005: Domestic Violence Prosecution (Morning session only) This institute will begin with a morning session that will examine and provide an overview of the major changes in the Violence Against Women Act. Upon introduction to the major changes the institute will provide insight into how the modified provisions impact Indian Country and will further provide information relating to some of the challenges that said provisions pose as well as strategies to overcome said challenges. Maximum Participants: 40	Tribal Courts (Judges, Prosecutors, etc.) Law Enforcement Victim Advocates
B.J. Jones Michelle Rivard Parks		Part Two: Indian Country Sex Offender Registry Laws (Afternoon session only) This session will shift focus to sex offender registration laws and their applicability to Indian Country. More specifically this session will introduce and overview existing and pending federal legislation, provide insight into how Indian Country is affected, and will further provide strategies for Tribes to engage that will reduce the risk of having tribal communities becoming a gap in the sex offender registry system. Focus will be on maintaining communities that are safe from sexual predators. Maximum Participants: 40	Tribal Courts (Judges, Prosecutors, etc.) Law Enforcement Victim Advocates

Other Trainings and Events

		"Tribal Justice and Safety" Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Sessions In response to the priorities and issues raised through past meetings and conferences, the Assistant Attorney General, Regina B. Schofield, is planning a series of education and information sessions for elected tribal leaders, tribal administrators, executive directors, finance and grants administration officers, tribal planners, grant writers and program coordinators, as well as justice and law enforcement personnel. Invited to join with the Department of Justice bureaus and offices to present the sessions will be many federal departments and national organizations, including the Department of Health and Human Services divisions and agencies, and the Department of the Interior. The first of four tribal training and technical assistance sessions is scheduled for December 5 and 6, 2007 in conjunction with the 10th National Indian Nations Conference in Palm Springs. Through general sessions and topic-specific workshop/discussion groups, the event will focus on tribal priorities to address public safety and public health, including drug and alcohol abuse, jurisdictional relationships, development of judicial systems, suicide prevention, and many other topics. Information will be available on 2007 grant-funded opportunities. Sessions will showcase what's working well in Indian country by highlighting model programs. Attendees will contribute ideas and suggestions for ways to improve the current solicitation and grant award processes, as well as to learn more about emerging programs for Indian country, including sexual offender registry and AmberAlert. Three additional discussion and education sessions will focus on evaluation, grants management, and planning for 2008 solicitations. The sessions are scheduled throughout 2007 in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Jacksonville, Florida; and Phoenix, Arizona. (The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) launched a new Tribal Justice and Safety in Indian Country web site).	December 5 - 6, 2006
		Capacity-Building Fundamentals for Tribal Victim Service Programs Application for funding is now closed. The workshop guides participants through an assessment of the fundamentals needed to assure program sustainability, and helps them examine their organization’s capacity for development and long-term growth. Training topics include organizational readiness; governance; funds management, planning and diversification; data tracking and reporting; service array planning and utilization management; and strategies for marketing and networking. The workshop conforms to Native American adult learning principles, and each topic area addresses the unique situations of program development and capacity-building in Indian Country.	December 10 - 12, 2006
		CJA - FY2006 CJA Post-Award Conference (Award Recipients Only)	December 5, 2006
		CCVIC/FBO - FY2006 Counseling for Crime Victims in Indian Country by Faith-Based Organizations Post- Award Conference (FY06 Award Recipients Only)	December 6, 2006 (Morning)