[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 114 (Monday, June 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32678-32679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15834]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior (Department) announces that an 
information collection request has been submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995. The information collection will be used by the Secretary of the 
Interior to document the local conditions of tribes, tribal justice 
systems and Courts of Indian Offenses and to determine the resources 
and funding, including base support funding, needed to provide for 
expeditious and effective administration of justice. The Department 
invites comment on the information collection described below.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
August 14, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the survey instrument and directions may be directed to 
Bettie Rushing, Office of Tribal Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, MS-4631, Washington, DC 
20240, and 202/208-4400. The survey instrument will also be available 
on the BIA HOMEPAGE at http://www.bia.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Information Collection Request

    The Department is seeking comments on the following Information 
Collection Request.
    Type of review: New.
    Title: Survey of Tribal Justice Systems and Courts of Indian 
Offenses.
    Effected Entities: Tribal Governments; Tribal Courts.
    Abstract: As required by the Indian Tribal Justice Act (Act), 25 
U.S.C. 3601 et seq., the Secretary of the Interior contracted with a 
non-federal entity to develop and conduct a survey of the conditions of 
tribal justice systems and Courts of Indian Offenses. Under the 
guidance of an advisory group consisting of Tribal representatives and 
judges and following comments received at Indian judges conferences, 
the contractor developed a national survey to be distributed to all 
federally recognized tribes. The survey instrument includes questions 
regarding the geographic area and population to be served, levels of 
functioning and capacity of the tribal justice system; volume and 
complexity of caseloads, projected number of cases per month, projected 
number of persons receiving probation services or participating in 
diversion programs; facilities (including detention facilities) and 
program resources available, research resources available, funding 
levels and personnel staffing requirements, and training and technical 
assistance. (see: 25 U.S.C. 3612).
    Burden Statement: The Survey of Tribal Justice Systems and Courts 
of Indian Offenses requires a reporting burden of 4.5 hours for each 
response from 554 tribes, of which an estimated 280 have tribal justice 
systems or are served by Courts of Indian Offenses. This estimate 
includes the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data 
sources, gathering the data needed, and completing the survey. The 
total burden for this collection is estimated to be 2,493 hours. The 
estimate of total burden hours is based upon staff and tribal expertise 
in the program area responsible for the development and management of 
tribal justice systems.

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   Number of       Third party     Frequency of    Total annual    Burden hours    Annual burden      Cost to   
  respondents       collection       response        responses     per response        hours        respondents 
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554............              0               1             554             4.5           2,493        $149,580  
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    The Bureau of Indian Affairs will not conduct or require tribes and 
tribal justice systems to respond to a collection of information until 
the Survey of Tribal Justice Systems and Courts of Indian Offenses 
references a currently valid Office of Management and Budget control 
number.

2. Request for Comments

    The Department solicits comments to:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility.
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies' estimates of burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the methodology and 
assumptions used.
    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected.
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    Tribes, organizations and individuals desiring to submit comments 
on the

[[Page 32679]]

information collection requirement should direct them to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Room 10202, New Executive 
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; Attention: Desk Officer for the 
U.S. Department of the Interior.

    Dated: June 5, 1998.
Kevin Gover,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-15834 Filed 6-12-98; 8:45 am]
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