ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights six issues related to criminal justice services for and by Native peoples: sovereignty, cultural revitalization, urbanization, developmental needs, and two related underlying themes—lack of political power and lack of legitimacy—that emerge out of the discussion of the other issues. The historical involvement of Native peoples with the criminal justice system is a narrative of tragedy and injustice. Political sovereignty initiatives have helped to shape the development and operation of Native criminal justice services. Indigenization refers to the employment of Native peoples within the dominant government's criminal justice system. In the development of a new criminal justice initiative, the schisms can have an impact on the degree of community support the project receives and on its eventual effectiveness. The skills people need to develop depend on the needs or the community. In addition to lacking community members with specialized training, the community may also lack individuals skilled in traditional practices.
