U.S. Department of the Interior - What is the Bureau of Indian Affairs Doing About the Meth Problem in Indian Country?

What is the Bureau of Indian Affairs Doing About the Meth Problem in Indian Country?
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is working with tribal, local, state, and other federal agencies to address the problem of meth in Indian Country in a number of ways: Indian Community Initiatives: BIA offices providing social services, trust services and justice services (including law enforcement) to tribal communities have undertaken several initiatives to address the meth problem in Indian Country. For example: The BIA has joined with the Indian Affairs Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to develop a meth awareness training program for all BIA and BIE employees nationwide. Thus far, 3,800 BIA staff have received awareness training via 100 training sessions held at the BIA’s 12 regional offices and its headquarters office in Washington, D.C. Tribal leaders were invited to attend these regional training sessions and staff members at other federal agencies were invited to the Washington, D.C. session, with strong attendance by both groups. The BIA Office of Indian Services (OIS) has provided meth awareness training to tribal judges, and the OIS Judicial Subgroup is proposing guidance for tribal court judges to interact with their local Indian communities and tribal governments. This guidance will include alternatives to sentencing for meth and other controlled substance users, but provide for stricter sentencing for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of controlled substances. The BIA Office of Trust Services (OTS) assists tribes and individual Indians when federal Indian land is contaminated by meth manufacturing and requires site clean up. The BIA Office of Justice Services (OJS) and OIS, as well as BIA superintendents and staff from the Indian Health Service (IHS), have formed a joint working group on Methamphetamine Abuse. The OIS Division of Social Services assists in removing children from homes containing meth labs, as well as placing children whose parents are meth users in foster homes. Information Gathering: In order to determine the extent of the meth problem in Indian Country, BIA OJS conducted a survey of IC law enforcement agencies asking about the impact of meth on their reservations and learned that: Seventy-four percent of IC law enforcement agencies identified meth as the greatest drug threat in their communities. Powder meth is highly available on 43% of reservations and crystal meth is highly available on 46% of reservations. The percentage of tribal law enforcement agencies reporting increases in various rates of crime due to meth: domestic violence – 64%; assault/battery – 64%, burglary – 57%; and child neglect/abuse – 48%. Ninety percent of tribal law enforcement agencies reported that they need additional drug investigation training. Law Enforcement Education and Training: BIA OJS has expanded its efforts to educate and train those who are dealing directly with Indian Country’s meth problem by: Entering into cooperative relationships with the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office. Employing the use of Mobile Meth Lab training, a mobile meth lab mock-up that has traveled to 16 communities and trained 360 law enforcement officers. Instituting a methamphetamine “train the trainer” program, which is designed to increase meth awareness in tribal communities, that is training law enforcement officers who return to their communities and train, in turn, numerous local officers. Increasing the number of BIA OJS drug agents from 8 to over 280 drug-trained law enforcement officers by providing training to OJS’s existing cadre of officers and investigators. Corrections: BIA OJS has sought to improve BIA-funded detention facilities and corrections programs by: Working to improve Indian Country corrections programs, which eventually will give tribal court judges additional sentencing options. Coordinating with BIA’s Office of Facilities Management and Construction on needed repairs to facilities and setting priorities. Embarking on a hiring initiative that has brought in over 120 new officers to the corrections facilities. Closing seven old, unsafe jails in 2006, including those on the Crow Creek, Hopi, and Uintah and Ouray (Ute) Indians reservations. Opening 14 new state-of-the art jails in 2006, including facilities on the Colville, Jicarilla Apache, and Zuni reservations, and having eight new jails in the pipeline. Federal Law Enforcement Authority: BIA OJS also has supported tribal law enforcement efforts to combat meth in Indian Country by: Working with tribal police departments to provide tribal law enforcement officers with federal Special Law Enforcement Commissions (SLECs). Tribal law enforcement officers with SLECs can enforce federal laws including the federal drug offenses set forth in Title 21 of the U.S. Code. Interjurisdictional Cooperation: BIA OJS cooperation with tribal, local, state, and other federal law enforcement agencies has helped to bring a number of meth cases to a successful conclusion, including: In 2005, the breaking up of two meth rings on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, including one with a multi-reservation “business plan”, by BIA OJS and DEA agents, the Fremont County Sheriff’s office, and other law enforcement personnel that resulted in 29 defendents. In 2006, the breaking up of a third meth ring, which was regional in scope, on the Wind River Reservation by BIA OJS and DEA agents, the Fremont County Sheriff’s office, and other law enforcement personnel that resulted in 53 defendants and the seizure of 20 firearms, $100,000 in cash, and 20 pounds of meth. The breaking up of a regional meth ring operating within the Chickasaw Nation by BIA OJS, DEA and ATF agents, Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and state/local law enforcement agencies that resulted in 102 defendants and the seizure of 49 weapons, $161,000 in cash, and 15 pounds of meth. Increased Funding: BIA OJS has sought additional financial resources to support tribal law enforcement efforts to combat meth by: Distributing over $5.5 million in Fiscal Year 2006 to IC law enforcement programs to fight meth and other purposes on 25 reservations. Including communities hit hard by meth such as the Oglala Sioux Tribe, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, and San Carlos Apache Tribe. Including communities suffering from drug smuggling activities across tribal lands including the Tohono O’odham Nation and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. Including an increase of $1,786,000 in the Fiscal Year 2007 BIA OJS budget request to address growing violent crime and drug problems. Other Plans: BIA continues to seek partnerships with other stake-holders in the fight to eliminate meth problem from Indian Country. These efforts include: Working with National Congress of American Indians, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, and other organizations on Indian Country-specific crime prevention programs such as an anti-meth print and radio campaign. Updating the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) court criminal code to allow CFR courts (which serve reservations that have no tribal courts) to prosecute meth and other controlled substance offenses. Coordinating with the IHS on substance abuse rehabilitation programs in tribal communities. Through BIA OJS, encouraging the development of tribal drug courts and alternative sentencing options.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is working with tribal, local, state, and other federal agencies to address the problem of meth in Indian Country in a number of ways:

Indian Community Initiatives:
BIA offices providing social services, trust services and justice services (including law enforcement) to tribal communities have undertaken several initiatives to address the meth problem in Indian Country. For example:

The BIA has joined with the Indian Affairs Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to develop a meth awareness training program for all BIA and BIE employees nationwide. Thus far, 3,800 BIA staff have received awareness training via 100 training sessions held at the BIA’s 12 regional offices and its headquarters office in Washington, D.C. Tribal leaders were invited to attend these regional training sessions and staff members at other federal agencies were invited to the Washington, D.C. session, with strong attendance by both groups.
The BIA Office of Indian Services (OIS) has provided meth awareness training to tribal judges, and the OIS Judicial Subgroup is proposing guidance for tribal court judges to interact with their local Indian communities and tribal governments. This guidance will include alternatives to sentencing for meth and other controlled substance users, but provide for stricter sentencing for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of controlled substances.
The BIA Office of Trust Services (OTS) assists tribes and individual Indians when federal Indian land is contaminated by meth manufacturing and requires site clean up.
The BIA Office of Justice Services (OJS) and OIS, as well as BIA superintendents and staff from the Indian Health Service (IHS), have formed a joint working group on Methamphetamine Abuse.
The OIS Division of Social Services assists in removing children from homes containing meth labs, as well as placing children whose parents are meth users in foster homes.

Information Gathering:
In order to determine the extent of the meth problem in Indian Country, BIA OJS conducted a survey of IC law enforcement agencies asking about the impact of meth on their reservations and learned that:

Seventy-four percent of IC law enforcement agencies identified meth as the greatest drug threat in their communities.
Powder meth is highly available on 43% of reservations and crystal meth is highly available on 46% of reservations.
The percentage of tribal law enforcement agencies reporting increases in various rates of crime due to meth: domestic violence – 64%; assault/battery – 64%, burglary – 57%; and child neglect/abuse – 48%.
Ninety percent of tribal law enforcement agencies reported that they need additional drug investigation training.

Law Enforcement Education and Training:
BIA OJS has expanded its efforts to educate and train those who are dealing directly with Indian Country’s meth problem by:

Entering into cooperative relationships with the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office.
Employing the use of Mobile Meth Lab training, a mobile meth lab mock-up that has traveled to 16 communities and trained 360 law enforcement officers.
Instituting a methamphetamine “train the trainer” program, which is designed to increase meth awareness in tribal communities, that is training law enforcement officers who return to their communities and train, in turn, numerous local officers.
Increasing the number of BIA OJS drug agents from 8 to over 280 drug-trained law enforcement officers by providing training to OJS’s existing cadre of officers and investigators.

Corrections:
BIA OJS has sought to improve BIA-funded detention facilities and corrections programs by:

Working to improve Indian Country corrections programs, which eventually will give tribal court judges additional sentencing options.
Coordinating with BIA’s Office of Facilities Management and Construction on needed repairs to facilities and setting priorities.
Embarking on a hiring initiative that has brought in over 120 new officers to the corrections facilities.
Closing seven old, unsafe jails in 2006, including those on the Crow Creek, Hopi, and Uintah and Ouray (Ute) Indians reservations.
Opening 14 new state-of-the art jails in 2006, including facilities on the Colville, Jicarilla Apache, and Zuni reservations, and having eight new jails in the pipeline.

Federal Law Enforcement Authority:
BIA OJS also has supported tribal law enforcement efforts to combat meth in Indian Country by:

Working with tribal police departments to provide tribal law enforcement officers with federal Special Law Enforcement Commissions (SLECs).
Tribal law enforcement officers with SLECs can enforce federal laws including the federal drug offenses set forth in Title 21 of the U.S. Code.

Interjurisdictional Cooperation:
BIA OJS cooperation with tribal, local, state, and other federal law enforcement agencies has helped to bring a number of meth cases to a successful conclusion, including:

In 2005, the breaking up of two meth rings on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, including one with a multi-reservation “business plan”, by BIA OJS and DEA agents, the Fremont County Sheriff’s office, and other law enforcement personnel that resulted in 29 defendents.
In 2006, the breaking up of a third meth ring, which was regional in scope, on the Wind River Reservation by BIA OJS and DEA agents, the Fremont County Sheriff’s office, and other law enforcement personnel that resulted in 53 defendants and the seizure of 20 firearms, $100,000 in cash, and 20 pounds of meth.
The breaking up of a regional meth ring operating within the Chickasaw Nation by BIA OJS, DEA and ATF agents, Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and state/local law enforcement agencies that resulted in 102 defendants and the seizure of 49 weapons, $161,000 in cash, and 15 pounds of meth.

Increased Funding:
BIA OJS has sought additional financial resources to support tribal law enforcement efforts to combat meth by:

Distributing over $5.5 million in Fiscal Year 2006 to IC law enforcement programs to fight meth and other purposes on 25 reservations.
Including communities hit hard by meth such as the Oglala Sioux Tribe, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, and San Carlos Apache Tribe.
Including communities suffering from drug smuggling activities across tribal lands including the Tohono O’odham Nation and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe.
Including an increase of $1,786,000 in the Fiscal Year 2007 BIA OJS budget request to address growing violent crime and drug problems.

Other Plans:
BIA continues to seek partnerships with other stake-holders in the fight to eliminate meth problem from Indian Country. These efforts include:

Working with National Congress of American Indians, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, and other organizations on Indian Country-specific crime prevention programs such as an anti-meth print and radio campaign.
Updating the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) court criminal code to allow CFR courts (which serve reservations that have no tribal courts) to prosecute meth and other controlled substance offenses.
Coordinating with the IHS on substance abuse rehabilitation programs in tribal communities.
Through BIA OJS, encouraging the development of tribal drug courts and alternative sentencing options.