Feds meet with Fort Peck leaders about conditions at jail

The Fort Peck Tribes Adult Correctional Facility in Poplar.

HOLLY MICHELS

Representatives from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services met with the Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board on Monday about conditions at the tribal jail.

For decades, the tribal jail in Poplar has operated under what’s called a 638 contract, which means that the tribes run the jail and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) oversees and funds it. In 2023, the BIA allocated $3.9 million to the Fort Peck Correctional Program. While the tribes run the jail, employees must operate within BIA guidelines.

After a 25-year-old died while in custody, Lee Montana News in February spoke with 12 people who were recently incarcerated in the Fort Peck Adult Corrections Facility, six family members of those who have been incarcerated and one former corrections employee. 

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Community members alleged instances of unwarranted use of force, medical neglect and poor hygiene conditions at the jail. A former employee confirmed these allegations. And several people, including the former employee, claimed some corrections officers did not receive the required federal certification. As of Monday, the

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