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Feds: Report shows progress in tribal prosecutions

By WTOP Staff

DAVE KOLPACK
Associated Press

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Federal attorneys say an updated report released Tuesday on investigations and prosecutions on tribal lands shows continued improvement since a 5-year-old study that criticized the Department of Justice for turning its back on reservation crime.

The report from the DOJ states that 2,542 cases were filed in Indian Country in the 2013 fiscal year, a 34 percent increase from when the federal government began its tribal justice initiative in 2009. That’s down from the 3,145 cases brought in 2012, which DOJ officials attribute primarily to reduced budgets and a hiring freeze.

Timothy Purdon, U.S. attorney for North Dakota and chair of an advisory committee on Native American issues, said the study proves that federal prosecutors are “keeping our promises” to improve tribal public safety.

“If you deal with more cases, you’re moving more violent predators and drug dealers and people like that from the reservation,” Purdon said. “I feel like we’re making progress, but these problems are centuries in the making. We’re not going to solve this at DOJ in three years with a new program.”

A U.S. Government Accountability Office report released in 2010 revealed that federal prosecutors had declined 50 percent of American Indian cases in a five-year period ending in 2009. Federal officials responded with a report in April 2013 that provided the first look at government investigations and prosecutions on tribal lands.

The updated figures show that 34 percent of the cases were declined in 2013, compared with 31 percent in 2012 and 37 percent in 2011.

Federal prosecutors say they take the rates of cases declined seriously but they’re not always the best measure because some of the cases wind up elsewhere, such as tribal court.

“I think this report tells an important story, but only part of the story,” Associate Attorney General Tony West told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “It’s difficult to be able to just look at the numbers and come up with an easy or facile explanation for what they mean. They can indicate a lot of things, but I think you always have to look below the surface when trying to think through what declination rates mean.”

For instance, West said, more victims — particularly women — are stepping forward to report crimes in Indian Country because they have “some sense of certainty” that the offenses will be prosecuted.

The rates of cases declined were the lowest in the southwestern and northern Great Plains states, which have the largest treaty-based reservations in the country. Arizona brought the highest number of cases at 733, and declined 28 percent of cases. South Dakota was next with 470 cases brought and 26 percent declined.

Among the cases that were declined by federal prosecutors in 2013, 56 percent were because of insufficient evidence. About a quarter of them are referred to another prosecuting authority.

Purdon said the commitment to fighting reservation crime was shown last year in a double homicide prosecution on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation in North Dakota that involved four assistant prosecutors from his office. Valentino “Tino” Bagola was sentenced to life in prison for the May 2011 slayings of 9-year-old Destiny Jane Shaw-Dubois and her 6-year-old brother, Travis Lee DuBois Jr., known to the family as “Baby Travis.”

“There was nothing that happened in North Dakota during the year that was as important to me and the office and the people of Spirit Lake as that case and making sure we brought about some measure of justice for Destiny and ‘Baby Travis,'” Purdon said.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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