Engaging Indian Country in Detention Reform

JDAI Inter-site Conference

Thursday, November 30, 2006New Orleans, LA

“The transference or transmutation of values lies at the heart of problems in Indian country. And Indian country is an affectionate term for the whole earth – the land, mother earth, father sky, the four grandfather winds, the grandmother moon and her seeds that give us life. To forget or ignore basic Indian values, traditional values, human values, natural law – is a crime.

Karoniaktatie(Alex Jacobs)Mohawk, 1989

Native Youth in Pima County

Elders have said:

“From the time the Indian first set foot upon this continent, he centered his life in the natural world. He is deeply invested in the earth, committed to it both in his consciousness and in his instinct. To him the sense of place is paramount. Only in reference to the earth can he persist in his true identity.”

N. Scott MomadayKiowa, 1974

“We have to look at the way we were in the past, hang on to it in our hearts and at the same time change, accept we’re always changing to survive.”

Dorothy HabermanYurok, 1992

As with DMC/JDAI, you must follow the data in your local area:Residence

Location of Offense

Processed

Detained

Reservation (ex. T.O.)

Reservation Tribal Court Tribal Detention

Reservation (ex. P.Y.T.)

Reservation Tribal Court County Detention

Reservation City or County Jurisdiction

County Court

County Detention

City or County

County County Court

County Detention

Other Items to consider:

• Break down data by tribal affiliation• Develop a committee that will

address increasing positive outcomes for Native Youth

• Develop relationships with all the tribal stakeholders on the rez and off

• Define/discuss what is DMC/JDAI• Conduct in-services re: services for

Native Youth, who are they, where are they etc…

• Remember issues of sovereignty and lack of trust among entities

For Futher Information:

Contact:

Marcia Rincon-Gallardo, MSWDMC/JDAI Coordinator

Pima County Juvenile Court520 740-4542