Tribal Program Aims To Ease Transition After Prison

Montana Public Radio

Published June 6, 2016 at 5:57 PM MDT

Tuesday, Montana lawmakers will hear testimony on the growing concern that Native Americans are disproportionately represented in state prisons and jails.

In Montana, nearly 40 percent of adults who’ve been to prison end up going back.

On Tuesday state and tribal leaders are meeting with U.S. Department of Justice officials to talk about how to turn that around.

The meeting on the Flathead Reservation will address current efforts to help former inmates re-integrate to society when they return home.

"This panel discussion is really directed at those specific challenges facing tribal members re-entering society after being incarcerated," says Melissa Hornbein, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Montana.

The panel will focus on the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, which last year received a Justice Department “Second Chance Re-entry Program” grant to revamp support services for former inmates. The tribes’ program focuses on including culture and community into personal rehabilitation plans. The panel will consider how successes in the Flathead Valley can translate elsewhere.

They’ll also be talking about tribal wellness courts. The event starts at 1:00 p.m. at KwaTaqNuk Resort.