Juvenile Detention

The Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Department was established to serve juveniles who had come before the court for committing offenses that caused them to be adjudicated “delinquent”. These offenses could be related to school, substance abuse or criminal offenses. Sometimes they are placed because they are a runaway risk. 


Juveniles are placed at the Center in a safe and secure environment until they return to court or to placement. At the Center their basic needs are met. They attend school in an alternative setting. They receive substance abuse counseling, if needed. They are provided with the opportunity to examine why they are in a juvenile center and are given the opportunity to gain social skills that might prevent them from re-offending.


The Juvenile Detention Center employs approximately 25 people who are trained to work with the Juveniles. The employees believe that the success of the residents is their own success.

Mission and Program

We, at the Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center believe that “The residents success is our success, their failure ours.” We are required by standards to have a ratio of one staff member to eight residents. Our staff consists of approximately twenty-five staff including one teacher. Many of our staff, though not all, are of Native American heritage.

Mission

  • To provide a safe and secure environment
  • To provide an atmosphere for social, personal, educational and spiritual growth
  • To provide substance abuse education
  • To provide success experiences
  • To build self-esteem
  • To reduce recidivism

Requirements for Admission

  • Between 12 and 18 years of age
  • Pre-adjudicated or adjudicated “delinquent”
  • A detention order from court, either district or tribal
  • Completed referral information

Referred by

  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Law Enforcement
  • Individual Tribes under contract
  • Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs

Length of Stay

  • From overnight to several months
  • Determined by the court

Services

School
The school is accredited. Residents can catch up in school and their credits can be transferred to their home school or wherever they are placed after their release from the Center. Many make significant progress. Alternative schooling is provided if appropriate. Some residents have actually graduated from high school while in residence.

Recreation
Large muscle activity such as physical training, basketball, volleyball, kickball are provided on a daily basis. Movies are watched and table games played during the evening leisure time. Books can be checked out of the library. In good weather, outside activities occur on a daily basis.

Spiritual
Spiritual growth is considered to be an important part of personal growth. Our church and one youth ministry provide regular worship experiences with the residents and the church also interacts with the residents in recreational activities. 

Medical
A medical intake is done on every resident upon admission. If medical services are required during their residence at the facility, they are seen at the Black Hawk Health Clinic if they are Native American. Non-Indians are the responsibility of the placing agency. In case of emergency, all residents are taken to the local hospital emergency room for treatment.

Basic Needs
Clothing and personal hygiene items are furnished to residents, however, family may provide certain hygiene items if they wish. Residents are served nutritious meals which are approved by a certified dietician or nutritionist. Haircuts are given on a monthly basis for those who wish to have one.

Social Needs
Visitation by family is encouraged and visitation hours are 1-4 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Special visitation needs are accommodated when possible. Mail is encouraged and not censored. The facility pays the postage on a limited number of letters each week for each resident. The family may provide additional stamps if they want the resident to send more mail. Telephone calls are limited to one or more per week depending on card level.  Residents are allowed unlimited calls and visits from or to their attorney or worker.


How it Began

In 1986, the U.S. Congress passed the Anti-Drug and Alcohol Abuse Act. Among other things, the act authorized the funding of juvenile detention and shelter care facilities on reservations to implement Section 4220 of the act. The Bureau of Indian Affairs then requested applications for detention funding from interested tribes and nations. The Sac and Fox submitted their application in 1989 and were the first of thirty-one other applicants.

In 1990, they began planning the Juvenile Detention Center using the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Planning of New Institutions (PONI) process. This was a participatory process involving the users of the new facility, with consultants assessing their needs and developing a course of action. The PONI team consisted of Nation staff from various departments. A needs assessment was conducted and 1991 a validation study specified the needs of the Sac and Fox Nation, but also outlined the potential to develop a regional Native American Juvenile Center.

A Pre-Architectural Program resulted in a study of the needs and mission as it related to the physical plant. This study served as the basis for the new facility design. An architectual firm with experience designing juvenile facilities was found and the design was completed in the spring of 1994. The design resulted in a sixty bed facility with six intake beds. Construction began shortly after and was completed in the winter of 1996. The Juvenile Detention Center opened in January, 1997.

The Sac and Fox Nation is committed to providing a truly regional facility to meet the needs of Tribes and Nations in Oklahoma as well as those located outside Oklahoma. Not only do we serve juveniles from Indian Country, but we also serve juveniles who are placed in beds contracted by the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs.

Goals and Objectives

Goals and Objectives of the Juvenile Detention Center are:

• To operate a facility that is sensitive to Native American Cultures.
• To provide adequate facilities to house juveniles who cannot be held safely in a less 
restrictive environment.
• To provide programs and services that “help a juvenile get back on track.”
• To teach youth respect for persons and property.
• To provide a setting that is comfortable and promotes learning and rehabilitation.
• To provide Native American staff qualified in detention as well as rehabilitation.
• To provide a facility that meets all standards for accreditation on a state and 
nationwide basis.

Project First

  • It is the “first” juvenile facility for Native Americans in Oklahoma.
  • The application for funding was ranked “first” among 31 applications.
  • It is the “first” Native American regional juvenile facility.
  • It is the “first” juvenile facility developed under PL-100-472, the Self- Governance Demonstration Project.
  • It is the “first” juvenile facility designed in less than five months.
  • It is the “first” Native American operated juvenile detention center in Oklahoma. 

About the Center

The Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center is located on twenty acres east of the Nation’s Headquarters. The facility is built around a large central outside courtyard which is visible from many parts of the facility including administrative offices, the central dining area and the program area where school is conducted. The facility includes a six bed intake unit, two six bed secure units, two twelve bed units with mezzanine floors and one twenty-four bed unit with a mezzanine floor. All told, it is a sixty-six bed facility. It has a state of the art kitchen, a central dining area, a full gym, a library, classrooms, medical area and two conference rooms, a training room, and numerous offices. The outside courtyard has two talking circles and a full basketball court. There is also a “spiritual courtyard.”  The entire facility was built with the Sac and Fox Nation’s culture in mind.

Facility Statistics

* Square footage: 49,950 square feet
* Construction Costs: 7.2 million dollars
* Funding Sources: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Interior, and Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs.
* Rated Capacity: 6 intake beds, 60 single occupancy rooms

Employees

The Sac and Fox culture is based upon respect for the life within themselves, their families, their communities, and all of creation. Our employees rely upon the same philosophies in the performance of their job. Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center employees are dedicated to achieving excellence in all that we do and in providing services to “help juveniles get back on track.” We strive to teach youth respect for persons and property and endeavor to provide a setting that is comfortable, promotes learning and rehabilitation. To provide a facility that meets all standards for accreditation on a state and nationwide basis means that we do our job to the best of our abilities and to the Nation’s standards. We take pride in what we do! For available positions, please return to the “Human Resources” section of this website.

Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center employees also dedicate themselves to the following:

  • Be honest and highly ethical. Always do the right thing, with honorable intentions.
  • Dedicate ourselves to our profession, our responsibilities and each other.
  • Treat each other and residents as we want to be treated. Appreciate the authority 
  • given to us and always use it appropriately. 
  • Share, inspire and help one another daily. Don’t let others down, because together 
  • we make greater contributions. 

Juvenile Detention Center Departments are as follows:

  • Administration
  • Case Management
  • Education
  • Food Services
  • Maintenance
  • Resident Advisors
  • Shift Management
  • Substance Abuse

Contact Information

Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Facility
jdc@sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov
Location
356265 E. 926 Rd.
Stroud, OK 74079

Contact
Phone: (918) 968-4279
Fax: (918) 968-9230


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