A new agency on the Wind River Reservation aims to fight disproportionately high rates of recidivism among Native Americans.
The Northern Arapaho Tribe began using over $620,000 in federal funds this year to create a tribal reentry program for previously incarcerated citizens.
It’s meant to help tribal members coming from correctional facilities and jails readjust to life on the reservation.
The agency also collaborates with other groups on the reservation, like the White Buffalo Recovery Center and the Center of Hope, to coordinate culturally appropriate services for Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribal members. These include housing and substance abuse treatment.
“I do have lived experience,” said Terri Smith, the agency administrator — for now, its only employee — and a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe. I've been to prison and on probation. I'm in recovery. I feel like I get them on a level that others can’t.”
Smith said on an average day in her job, she pivots between data collection, case work and advocacy.
“[I’m] just helping them get to appointments. I help them communicate with their probation officer for them, kind of advocate for them,” she said. “Make sure they understand what's expected of them.”
Though it’s still getting up and running, the program’s goal is to eventually reduce recidivism by at least 50 percent among participants.
Smith said federal grant funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance will last for five years but that she hopes to apply for more funding before then to keep the agency operating.
States like Arizona and Utah have similar programs.
The portion of the Navajo Nation that lies within Utah has lowered its recidivism rate to just 6 percent after establishing a reentry agency and court.
Wyoming also has its own tribal community reentry court, separate from the agency that Smith leads.
The court is made up of a federal judge, an assistant U.S. attorney, an assistant federal public defender, a U.S. probation officer, and representatives from the Eastern Shoshone Recovery and White Buffalo Recovery centers.
The team visits communities across the reservation, bringing the court to local areas to work with paroled tribal citizens to ensure they don’t re-offend.
This reporting was made possible by a grant from the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, supporting state government coverage in the state. Wyoming Public Media and Jackson Hole Community Radio are partnering to cover state issues both on air and online.
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