2011 National Survey of Tribal Courts Systems

The National Survey of Tribal Court Systems (NSTCS) project will build upon previous BJS data collections to collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate crime and justice information in Indian country. This data collection is new and enhances current BJS programs to carry out the requirements of the Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) 2010.

Key provision of TLOA provides that BJS will: 1) provide for improvements in the accuracy, quality, timeliness, immediate accessibility, and integration of state and tribal criminal history and related records; 2) establish and implement a tribal data collection system; 3) consult with Indian tribes to establish and implement this data collection system; 4) report to Congress within one year of enactment, and annually thereafter, the data collected and analyzed in accordance with the act. The NSTCS plays a significant role in meeting these objectives.

The NSTCS will gather administrative and operational information about tribal court systems operating in the US, including data from courts, prosecutors, and indigent defense providers. The information to be collected will include, but not be limited to, the number of courts, number of offices, codes and statutes, staffing, budgets, case processing procedures and policies, data entry/ input systems, services offered through the courts, aggregate caseload information (including conviction rates), and other emerging court system issues.

The objective of this project include, but not limited to: (1) develop a detailed project time table, (2) solicit and incorporate feedback from tribal leadership and other experts in tribal judicial administration, (3) develop the survey instruments, (4) define the tribal court universe and generate a list of tribal courts to be surveyed, (5) conduct the data collection with follow-up, entry, and verification. (CA/NCF)