NCJ Number
199302
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 83 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2003 Pages: 51-66
Date Published
March 2003
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This article provides an overview and case studies of Native American tribal jails and their operations.
Abstract
During the course of the research reported in this article, which was conducted in 2000 and 2001, the author conducted site visits and interviews with three tribes. Two tribes, the Tohono O'odham and the Puyallup, operate tribal jails. The Tohono O'odham house only their own prisoners and occasionally provide a holding space for Federal detainees. The Puyallup tribe has a regional jail with contractual relationships with a number of tribes in the Pacific Northwest. The third tribe, the Lummi Nation, does not have its own jail, but instead has a contract with the county within which the tribe is located. The chiefs of police at each tribe were interviewed, along with jail personnel at Puyallup and Tohono O'odham. The jail director for Whatcom County was interviewed as well. The author inquired specifically about access and availability of traditional and cultural activities at Puyallup and Tohono O'odham and regarding the arrangements made by Lummi for its prisoners held in county detention. The Puyallup custodial staff indicated that access to religious and ceremonial activities and sweat lodges was one of the reasons why the nation felt so strongly about the importance of having a tribal jail. The Tohono O'odham jail personnel stated that few inmates request to participate in traditional ceremonies, since most tribal members are Roman Catholic; however, due to the overcrowded conditions, even church participation is restricted. There is a sweat lodge set up in the small recreation yard, and traditional healers are allowed to enter the jail facilities and work with inmates. The Lummi require that a request for participation in spiritual or ceremonial activities come from the tribal court. Alternatives to incarceration serve a number of purposes in Indian country. They are often perceived as a more culturally compatible approach to punishment for crimes. In traditional Indian societies, the community is the context for the restoration of individuals within the community who have departed from tribal values. 1 table and 15 references