NCJ Number
179511
Date Published
1999
Length
155 pages
Annotation
This report presents an overview of Alaska's dispute resolution forums other than State and Federal courts.
Abstract
These include tribal courts, tribal councils that address individual legal matters, youth courts, community courts, alternative dispute resolution programs, and State and municipal programs. The disputes resolved most commonly stem from crimes and children's cases, although other civil matters may be addressed. These forums resolve disputes through a number of methods, including trials, decisions, and judgments, mediation, intervention, counseling, or some mixture of these approaches. The report focuses on four primary subjects. First, it covers the way tribal councils and tribal courts address individual legal matters in rural and urban communities, matters that may include child-in-need-of-aid cases, adoptions, property, and minor criminal matters. Second, it discusses youth courts, a largely urban phenomenon, which combine a legal training program for high school students with peer adjudication of juvenile offenses. A third section addresses community courts, which use collaborative agreements between State, municipal, and tribal governments to resolve juvenile delinquency cases in a setting sensitive to the culture and traditions of the community. A fourth section focuses on alternative dispute resolution, which in its most general sense refers to dispute resolution procedures other than adjudication by a court. This section covers the work of community organizations and government agencies that provide mediation services or resolve complaints. A 15-item bibliography and 7 figures