OJJDP Family Listening Sessions: Executive Summary - Office of ...

Participant C’s Experiences With the System
First involvement with the system
The youth’s mother described their first involvement with the system when her daughter was 15.
According to the mother, her daughter was with another girl who got them both into trouble, and
they ended up in court. The mother explained that their tribe shares a court with seven other
tribes. It was the family’s first experience with the Court of Federal Regulations, which the
Bureau of Indian Affairs established and operates. The mother felt the court failed her daughter.
The daughter added that the only help she received was from her mother and a counselor—the
court was not helpful at all.
The mother spoke of wanting to do something useful for her community when she returned home
after receiving her degree. However, now she feels that the most harmful thing she did for her
daughter was to return home. There were no programs to support her daughter, which is why she
started an organization to help other youth.
What in the system was the most helpful What was the least helpful
The mother remarked that the education her daughter received was unhelpful. She struggled in
school but the teachers passed her anyway with grades of Ds and Fs. She said that the court
system is ineffective at monitoring the education system, so it became her responsibility to
monitor both the education and court systems on top of her other responsibilities. After her
daughter’s third offense, she was placed in an alternative education system, where she earned a
place on the honor roll for academic achievement.
What was your family engagement while your child was in the system Were you able to
maintain a meaningful relationship with your child while the child in the system What
ways did the system help (promote) or hinder your relationship with your child
The daughter stated that it was her mother who truly helped her but her father was hardly
involved.
Aftercare—was there a transition plan to help you go back into your community/home
After their lawyer had the case dismissed and her daughter was released, the mother had to pay
for her daughter’s aftercare support. They saw three different counselors before finding the right
one. They also tried different medications for her daughter. The mother stated that she continued
to shop around until she found the appropriate services her daughter needed.
Participant D’s Experiences With the System
First involvement with the system
Three generations of this family attended the listening session—the youth, her toddler, and her
mother. The youth and her mother provided a poignant testimony of finding love and hope