Interior Secretary Sally Jewell joins Native youth for a Powwow Sweat during a Let’s Move event in Washington, D.C, on September 27, 2016. Photo by US Department of the Interior
The Bureau of Indian Affairs has finalized a long-overdue update to the Model Indian Juvenile Code. The Model Indian Juvenile Code provides guidance to tribes to protect the rights of Indian juveniles and their parents, guardians or custodians. The update is the first since 1988. "I am very pleased to announce the publication of the BIA’s updated Model Indian Juvenile Code, which has been a long time in coming,” Larry Roberts, the de facto leader of the agency, said in a press release on Thursday. “Supporting Native youth and their families has been among the Obama administration’s top priorities in helping to build strong tribal communities. The 2016 Model Indian Juvenile Code is key to ensuring that the rights of Native youth who enter the juvenile justice system and their families are respected and protected." The Model Indian Juvenile Code, which tribes will be able to tailor to fit their needs, is among several initiatives that the BIA has been working to complete before the end of the Obama administration. One of the biggest was an Indian Child Welfare Act that is due to go into effect next month. Notice of the Model Indian Juvenile Code was published in the Federal Register on Thursday. An explanatory document is also available. "The Model Code reflects a core commitment to helping tribes respond to the needs of their children, their families, and their communities," the document reads. Federal Register Notices:
Model Indian Juvenile Code (October 20, 2016)
Model Indian Juvenile Code (February 29, 2016)
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