NCJ Number
184881
Journal
National Institute of Justice Journal Issue: 231 Dated: August 1996 Pages: 46-51
Date Published
August 1996
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The examples of "Peacemaking" in the Navajo Nation's court system and the Midtown Community Court and Red Hook Community Justice Center in New York City are discussed as touchstones for exploring the possibilities of community-focused courts.
Abstract
In the Navajo Nation, peacemaking derives its authority from the community, as manifested by extended families and clan membership of disputants and peacemakers. Peacemakers are selected by disputants from individuals so designated in their local areas. Peacemaking depends on and reinforces the complex matrix of ties and responsibilities woven into the larger Navajo community by clan, kinship, and tradition. The Midtown Community Court exemplifies the renewed interest in bringing high-volume, short-duration criminal cases back to communities through satellite and branch courts. The community is viewed as having a major stake in how well the court adjudicates cases involving quality-of-life crime. The Red Hook Community Justice Center is designed as a justice center that significantly expands traditional notions about the role of courts and that focuses on specific kinds of disputes common in Red Hook. The future of community courts is discussed. 12 notes and 1 photograph